SSISD Substitute Teacher Orientation Slated Jan. 10
Sulphur Springs Independent School District officials will be conducting a Substitute Teacher Orientation on Friday, Jan. 10, in the SSISD Administration Board Room, located at 631 Connally St. The training will start at 9 a.m. and will last approximately two hours.
This orientation is required for anyone new who wants to be a substitute teacher for SSISD.
For more information, contact Tawlene Lampp at 903-885-2153.
Como Man Allegedly Arrested Following Disturbances Involving Grandmother, Deputy
A 19-year-old Como man alleged to have been involved in a disturbance with his grandmother reportedly compounded his unruly behavior by trying to run from and bite sheriff’s officers, according to arrest reports
Hopkins County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched at 8:45 p.m. to a County Road 2330 residence, where a grandson had reportedly been drinking and behaving aggressively while engaged in a verbal disturbance, according to sheriff’s reports.
Upon arrival, officers talked to the man’s family; the 19-year-old was accused of grabbing his grandmother’s knee, causing pain, deputies alleged in arrest reports. While talking with the teen, he allegedly admitted to consuming eight beers.
When deputies attempted to place the 19-year-old into handcuffs, the Como man allegedly refused to put his hands behind his back. He allegedly pulled way from officers by slipping out of his sweatshirt and running around behind the residence. He was detained, placed into handcuffs and escorted to a deputy’s patrol vehicle.
When another deputy arrived to assist, the Como man allegedly attempted to bite the deputy and was “taken to the ground for safety,” the sheriff’s officers alleged in arrest reports. At that point, the teen’s family reportedly became involved again, creating a potential safety issue, according to reports.
Once placed into the patrol vehicle, the teen allegedly refused to move his foot from the open door. The man’s foot was reportedly pushed in so the patrol vehicle’s door could be closed.
The 19-year-old Como man was taken to jail on resisting arrest, search or transport and evading arrest or detention charges, according to arrest reports. He remained in the county jail Tuesday morning on both Class A misdemeanor charges; bond was set at $2,000 each, according to jail reports.
County Road 3519 Traffic Stop Results In Felony Arrest
A routine traffic stop Monday night resulted in Kevin Shane Bilharz’s arrest on a controlled substance charge, according to arrest reports.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Deputy Drew Fisher reported stopping a GMC pickup at 10:32 p.m. Jan. 6 on County Road 3519 at County Road 3504, after noticing the license plates on the trailer attached to the truck was expired, according to arrest reports. Upon contact with the driver, Fisher reported seeing a rifle between the driver’s seat and the console.
Bilharz allegedly agreed to let the deputy search the truck and was patted down. Fisher alleged finding a crystal-like substance he suspected to be methamphetamine in a small clear container with a green lid in his jacket pocket. Bilharz was placed into custody. A scale, glass pipe of the kind commonly used to smoke methamphetamine and several torch lighters were found in the truck, Fisher alleged in arrest reports.
Deputy Kevin Lester and Lt. Amanda Weatherford were reported to have assisted with the traffic stop and arrest.
The truck was towed from the location and Bilharz was jailed for possession of 4 grams or more but less than 200 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance, according to arrest reports. The 30-year-old Sulphur Springs man remained in the county jail Tuesday morning, Jan. 7, on the second-degree felony controlled substance charge, according to jail reports.
Sulphur Springs City Council Scheduled To Meet 3 Times This Week
Sulphur Springs City Council has a busy week ahead with three meetings scheduled this week, including special meetings on Jan. 7 and Jan. 9 and the regular monthly meeting on Jan. 7.
During the special meetings at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday and 6 p.m. Thursday, public hearings will be conducted regarding the annexation of city-owned property, the old Thermo mine, into the city. All interested parties have the right to appear and be heard on the proposed annexation, according to the resolution setting the dates and location for the meeting, passed by the council at their Dec. 3 meeting.
The city council will during their 7 p.m. meeting Jan. 7 be asked to consider approving “land lease agreements at the old Thermo Mine/Luminant property and authorizing the city manager to execute said documents.”
Also on Jan. 7, Kevin Shepard is slated during the 5:30 p.m. meeting to give a presentation regarding housing and infrastructure. Shepard too is listed during the presentations, proclamations and announcements portion of the regular 7 p.m. council meeting Tuesday.
A School Choice Week proclamation is scheduled to be announced during that portion of the regular City Council meeting Tuesday.
The Sulphur Springs City Council will be asked Tuesday night to consider appointing two people to fill seats on the Planning and Zoning Commission.
P&Z Commissioner Kelly Grimes had to resign previously due to personal reasons. Mike Horne had notified the city by the December commission meeting that he too will soon be moving outside of the city limits and, thus, ineligible to continue serving on the committee.
The Dec. 3 City Council meeting agenda called for appointment of two individuals to fill openings on the Planning and Zoning Commission, but the City Council tabled the matter until a list of recommendations from people expressing a desire to serve on the city board could be created.
City Council member John Sellers, who was appointed mayor at the special Dec. 13 meeting, asked about names of individuals who had been talked about at a previous retreat.
City Secretary Gale Roberts reported four individuals had previously been discussed as potential options to fill city boards. However, to her knowledge, none had been contacted prior to the December meeting regarding potential willingness to serve on the commission.
Sellers at that point recommended tabling the appointment until city officials had time to confer and ask people if they’d be willing to serve. The council unanimously agreed, tabling the item until a future meeting.
The City Council will need to remove the item from the table before new appointments can be made.
Appearing again on the Jan. 7 regular meeting agenda is a personnel item related to the city manager.
The personnel item on the 7 p.m. regular meeting agenda for Jan. 7 notes the council may adjourn into executive session to discuss “matters affecting the office of the City Manager including performance review, employment terms and other issues.” Any action on executive session discussion would need to be made in open session.
Tuesday’s regular meeting agenda also includes for council consideration, a resolution directing publication of notice of intention to issue combination tax and revenue certificates of obligation; a proposed ordinance amendment establishing a curfew for minors; a resolution amending authorized representatives of the city’s investment account with TexPool; the city manager’s report; and consent agenda.
Main Street Theater Annual Dinner, Fundraiser Jan. 25
To announce the 2020 season, you and your family are invited to attend the annual fundraiser dinner for Sulphur Springs Main Street Theater on Saturday January 25, from 6-8pm. The location is St. Philips Episcopal Church at 1206 College Street. Cost is $20 for dinner and a one-year membership in the Sulphur Springs Community Players. (cost for ages 17 and under is $15). Live music and entertainment will be part of the evening, as well as door prizes, silent auction and more. You will also have the opportunity to purchase tickets in advance for upcoming shows. To find out more about the MST annual dinner/fundraiser, phone 903-885-0107, visit www.communityplayersinc.com or Facebook-Main Street Theatre
Wildcats Basketball Coach Clark Cipoletta Says Wildcats Won Scrappy Game At Princeton Friday
Wildcats Basketball Coach Clark Clark Cipoletta called the Wildcats 65-51 win at Princeton Friday, January 3, a scrappy game.
He said the Panthers did a good job of coming out and making things tough for the Wildcats. Coach Cipoletta said only good shooting, especially from Grayson McClure and Boo Wilkerson, kept the Wildcats close.
He said early the Wildcats defense was not as tight as they need to be. Coach Cipoletta said part of the problem was the good guards Princeton had. He said the Wildcats played better defense in the second half and that allowed the Wildcats to secure the victory.
Coach Cipoletta said Princeton is a dynamic team that plays hard and is well coached. He said the Panthers are a team the Wildcats might see again in the playoffs.
Coach Cipoletta said he liked seeing four Wildcats in double figures with another player with 9 points. He said that versatility gives the Wildcats lots of options on offense when an opponent tries to shut one player down.
The Wildcats, now ranked #4 in Class 5A, improved their season record to 16-6. They play at Sherman Tuesday night as the second half of a Lady Cat and Wildcat doubleheader against Sherman.
Recommended Products, Methods To Control Sandbur In Pastures And Hay Fields
By Dr. Mario A. Villarino, County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Hopkins County, Texas
From time to time, the Hopkins County Extension Office gets calls on sandbur control in pastures and hay fields In general, if you had sandbur in a field last year and were unable to control them, there is a good probability they will be back season.
According to the Noble Research Institute, there are four products recommend for sandbur control in pastures and hayfields.
For a product to be recommend, it has to meet a few basic qualifications. First, it must be labeled for the crop it is applied to. It is illegal to apply a pesticide to a crop that is not listed on the label. Second, it has to work. In this instance, it has to control a large percentage of the sandbur when correctly applied. Third, it cannot cause undue crop injury when used according to labeled directions.
There are two broad ways to control sandburs. One is with a preemergent herbicide. This type of herbicide must be applied before the sandbur seed germinate. The only labeled preemergent herbicide for sandbur control in pastures and hay fields is Prowl® H2O.
It is labeled for bermudagrass and other warm-season grasses when in winter dormancy. In southern Oklahoma and northern Texas, the most common application time is February or very early March before the grasses break dormancy. There is a 60-day haying restriction and a 45-day grazing restriction if Prowl® H2O is used. Good results can be obtained from Prowl® H2O if it is properly incorporated by rainfall or irrigation within 10 to14 days of application. It is a fairly expensive treatment.
The other three products for sand-bur control in pastures and hayfields are post-emergent treatments. This means the products must be sprayed onto an emerged sandbur plant.
Pastora® is only labeled for bermudagrass, so applying it on any other type pasture or hayfield is illegal. It must be applied to very small sandbur, and the spray must contact the sandbur plant. For that reason, the bermudagrass should be grazed or hayed very short.
Roundup PowerMax® must be applied immediately after the first hay cutting. It is labeled for use at a rate of 10 ounces per acre on bermudagrass hayfields immediately after the first hay cutting. It will also control many annual grasses other than sandbur. It is important to treat as soon as possible after the first hay cutting.
The fourth product is recommend with caution. It is imazapic, sold under the trade names Plateau® and Panoramic 2SL. The caution is this product will stunt bermudagrass growth for a period of at least 30 days. Some varieties, such as Jiggs and World Feeder, are more prone to crop injury than others. It is labeled for use in most perennial grass species, including native range.
Always follow herbicide label instructions: The label is the law.
For more information on this or any other agricultural topic please contact the Hopkins County Extension Office at 903-885-3443 or email me at [email protected].
Paris District Road Report For The Week of January 6, 2020
Paris — Here’s a look at work planned in the district during the week of Jan. 6, 2020. These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues.
Motorists are advised to remain alert and pay special attention to all signs, barricades and traffic controls, and reduce their speed as they approach and travel through work zones. They should also avoid distractions such as cell phones, eating, drinking, or car audio or navigation systems.
Sherman Area (Fannin, Grayson Counties)
Contacts: Sherman Area Office (903) 892-6529; Grayson Co. Maintenance (903) 893-8831; Fannin Co. Maintenance (903) 583-7566.
US 75, Grayson County: from FM 1417 to SH 91. Construction on the rehab and widening project is expected to begin Jan. 13.
FM 691, Grayson County: from FM 131/Loy Lake Rd. to US 75. Watch for traffic shifts as workers widen FM 691 to an ultimate five-lane roadway. The intersection of FM 691 with FM 131/Loy Lake Road has been converted to a four-way stop intersection and will become a signalized intersection at the conclusion of the construction project.
US 377, Grayson County: Willis Bridge at the Oklahoma State line. Watch for occasional one lane closures on the existing bridge as workers pour concrete for the new bridge structure.
US 75 Ramp Reversal in Denison, Grayson County: on the southbound US 75 main lanes and frontage road between Spur 503 and FM 691. Watch for a lane closure on the southbound US 75 frontage road and the westbound Spur 503 ramp while construction crews work on rebuilding the southbound frontage road.
US 75 Slope Repair at Randell Lake Road, on the southbound US 75 frontage road between SH 91 and Randell Lake Road, Grayson County: on the southbound US 75 frontage road between SH 91 and Randell Lake Road. The southbound frontage road and Randell Lake exit ramp are closed due to a slope failure. Crews are working to lime treat the soils and place underdrains.
US 75 Full Depth concrete repair, Grayson County: crews will be working on US 75, weather permitting, each week from Sunday night thru Thursday night. Lane closures will be present during the nighttime only in order for crews to replace failed concrete. Lane closures begin at 7:30 p.m. and should be reopened to traffic by 6 a.m.
US 75 debris pickup, Grayson County: from Collin County line to Oklahoma State line. Watch for mobile lane closures as workers pick up debris from the roadway every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during the day-time.
US 82 & US 69, Grayson County: from FM 131 to FM 1897 on US 82, and from SH 56 to US 75 on US 69. Watch for temporary day time lane closures and shoulder closures as workers install safety treatments on fixed objects.
Cedar Road, Grayson County: just east of SH 11 at Cedar Creek. Cedar Road is closed at Cedar Creek in order to remove and build a new bridge. Traffic on Cedar Road will need to use an alternate route, such as Snap Road, during construction.
Greer Road, Grayson County: just south of FM 901 at Brushy Creek. Greer Road is closed at Brushy Creek in order to remove and build a new bridge. Traffic on Greer Road will need to use an alternate route, such as Sandusky Road, during construction.
FM 901, Grayson County: from US 377 west to the end of maintenance. Watch for daytime lane closures as maintenance crews work to address base failures.
FM 1310, Grayson County: from SH 91 to Eisenhower State Park. Watch for daytime lane closures as maintenance crews work on blade leveling the roadway.
US 377, Grayson County: from FM 922 to the Denton County Line. Watch for daytime lane closures as maintenance crews work on blade leveling the roadway.
FM 1753, Grayson and Fannin County: from FM 1897 to SH 78. Watch for temporary one-lane closures as workers rehab and widen the roadway.
FM 898, Fannin County: from the Grayson County line to SH 121. Watch for temporary one-lane closures as workers rehab and widen the roadway.
FM 2815, Fannin County: from FM 1629 to SH 11. Watch for temporary one-lane closures as workers rehab and widen the roadway.
US 82, Fannin County: from SH 121 to the Lamar County Line. Watch for slow moving construction equipment as crews work on widening US 82 from a two lane roadway to a four lane divided section.
County Road 5025, Fannin County: at Delba Creek. County Road 5025 at Delba Creek has been reopened to traffic after completion of the new bridge.
County Road 3810, Fannin County: at Loring Creek. County Road 3810 is closed at Loring Creek while crews remove and build a new bridge. Traffic on CR 3810 will need to use an alternate route during construction.
FM 274, Fannin County: from FM 1753 to FM 3321. Watch for daytime lane closures as maintenance crews work on blade leveling the roadway.
Spur 311, Fannin County: from SH 56 to SH 121. Watch for daytime lane closures as maintenance crews work on blade leveling the roadway.
Sulphur Springs Area (Hopkins, Franklin Counties):
Contacts: Sulphur Springs Area Office (903) 885-9514; Franklin Co. Maintenance (903) 537-4976; Hopkins Co. Maintenance (903) 885-4031.
SH 11, Hopkins County: From SH 19 to White Oak Creek. Watch for lane closures and short traffic delays as crews replace an existing drainage structure; temporary traffic signals will direct traffic.
FM 1448, Franklin County: From Wood County Line to FM 115. Watch for lane closures and short traffic delays as crews install drainage structures.
IH 30, Hopkins & Franklin Counties: From Titus County Line to Hunt County Line. Watch for lane closures and short traffic delays as crews upgrade Metal Beam Guard Fence.
FM 900, Hopkins County: IH 30 to Franklin County Line. Watch for lane closures and short traffic delays as crews install drainage structures.
Paris Area (Delta, Lamar, Red River Counties)
Contacts: Paris Area Office (903) 784-1357; Delta Co. Maintenance (903) 395-2139; Lamar Co. Maintenance (903) 785-4468; Red River Co. Maintenance (903) 427-3561.
US 82, Red River County: from FM 1159 to Bowie County Line. Watch for temporary lane closures and traffic shifts while crews extend cross structures and widen pavement to install passing lanes.
US 82, Lamar County: from BU 82H to Red River County Line. Watch for temporary shoulder/lane closures while crews upgrade metal beam guard fence.
US 82, Red River County: from Lamar County Line to SH 37. Watch for temporary shoulder/lane closures while crews upgrade metal beam guard fence.
SH 24, Delta County: from SH 19 to Hunt County Line. Watch for temporary shoulder and lane closures while crews upgrade metal beam guard fence.
SH 37 safety upgrades, Red River County: from the Texas-Oklahoma state line south to the Red River-Franklin County line. Watch for work zones as workers upgrade metal-beam guard fence, replace or extend new structures and install safety end treatments.
Greenville Area (Hunt, Rains Counties)
Contacts: Greenville Area Office (903) 455-2363; Hunt Co. Maintenance (903)455-2303; Rains Co. Maintenance (903) 473-2682.
SH 66, Hunt County: from near FM 6 to near FM 2642. A project consisting of widening pavement, installing continuous left turn lanes, and safety treating fixed objects is underway. Please be aware of lane closures and workers in this area.
I-30/US69, Hunt County, project to replace metal beam guard fence is underway. Please be cautious when driving in this area.
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Wildcats Soccer Coach Alexi Upton Pleased With Wildcats Play In FISD Dr. Pink Tourney Last Week
The Wildcats Soccer Team went 1-2-1 in the prestigious Frisco ISD Dr. Pink Tournament last Thursday through Saturday, Jan. 2-4.
Coach Alexi Upton said their opening 1-1 tie came against a talented and athletic El Paso Montwood team.
He said his team’s 5-1 loss to El Paso Eastlake is just one of those games that happen once or twice a season. He said the Wildcats imploded and fell apart.
Then, came the game the Wildcats and Coach Upton will always remember from this tournament, a 3-1 win over a good Amarillo Caprock team at The Star in the Ford Center. Coach Upton called it a great experience and a great game. The team also got to experience being in a hotel and they took a tour of the FC Dallas facilities.
Coach Upton was also pleased with the way his team played in a narrow 1-0 loss to always tough McKinney North. He said the Wildcats need to work on possessing the ball more and scoring goals.
Coach Upton said his team’s tough schedule will continue in a Longview tournament this Thursday through Saturday. The Wildcats are scheduled to play Jacksonville, Lufkin and Forney, all solid soccer programs.
