DBA 'Jingle Mingle' Produced Shopping, Holiday Fun!
About 70 people gathered inside Hope Smith Interior Design showroom on Thursday night to mix and mingle and be on hand for the giveaway of prizes donated by downtown merchants and eateries. Besides several smaller giveaways which went to individuals, the Grand Prize was a large basket filled with gift cards, decor and fashion gifts and more from over 25 different downtown merchants. Amy Sproles, who had frequented many of the shops that evening, was the winner of the Grand Prize Basket.
Odessa Woman Jailed Following I-30 Crash In Hopkins County
A 35-year-old Odessa woman was taken to Hopkins County jail following a crash on Interstate 30 east of Sulphur Springs Thursday night, according the sheriff’s and arrest reports.
Hopkins County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched at 10:30 p.m. Dec. 19, and Hopkins County, Brinker, Saltillo and Pickton-Pine Forest firefighters at 10:37 p.m. between the 138 and 139 mile markers on Interstate 30 east, where a red pickup was reported to have gone off the road into a tree line, according to dispatch and arrest reports.
Deputies reported finding the woman sitting in the driver’s seat of a red Dodge Ram. On contact, deputies alleged an odor of an alcoholic beverage could immediately be smelled emitting from the truck. When asked about her travels and what caused her vehicle to exit her lane f travel and end up in a ditch, the woman was “very confused on where she was and why she was not on the correct route to her location,” deputies alleged in arrest reports.
Following standard field sobriety tests, the woman was taken to jail for further investigation of drunk driving and her truck was towed from the crash site. A state trooper arrived at the jail to operate the intoxilyzer instrument to obtain a breath sample from the woman for testing. She was arrested for driving while intoxicated, as well as an Angelina County warrant for family violence assault causing bodily injury, according to arrest reports.
The Odessa woman remained in the county jail Friday morning, Dec. 20. Bond was set at $2,000 on the misdemeanor DWI charge and $5,000 on the misdemeanor warrant, according to jail reports.
North Hopkins FCCLA Students Spread Christmas Warmth, Cheer Through a Donation of Blankets
The North Hopkins FCCLA classes made and donated 20 beautiful blankets for some special Senior Citizens. This is the 2nd year these classes have made blankets for senior citizens, according to Senior Citizens Center Director Karon Weatherman.
Shown L. to R. Jessica Garcia, Jaci Wyatt, Miracle Ramon, Madison Joslin and Monse Lozano
Sulphur Springs Man Jailed On Burglary Warrant
December 20, 2019 – A disturbance complaint lodged to police resulted in a 25-year-old Sulphur Springs man’s arrest on a felony warrant early Friday morning.
Sulphur Springs police contacted Demarquez Dijuan Darnell Wrice at 1:35 a.m. Dec. 20, at his Tate Street residence regarding the disturbance complaint. A records check showed the man to be wanted in Hunt County on a burglary of a habitation charge, SSPD Officer Derrick Williams alleged in arrest reports.
Consequently, Wrice was jailed on the felony home burglary warrant. He remained in the county jail late Friday morning in lieu of $150,000 bond on the charge, according to jail reports.
Another Gift to the Community; a Free Lunch at Evening Chapel CME Dec 24
A Christmas Lunch is offered to everyone on Tuesday December 24, Christmas Eve day, served starting at 11 am in the dining hall of Evening Chapel CME CHurch. The meal will be hosted by the pastors of two churches, Evening Chapel at 199 Putman Street, and by the New Beginnings Healing and Deliverance Ministry, newly located at 717 Jefferson Street. Back in 2017, Reverend Gailyn McCurdy was appointed to Evening Chapel by the Bishop of the region. Pastor Debra Sharper, a minister for over 40 years, first established her church in Cooper, Texas in 2009, and moved it to the Sulphur Springs address earlier this year. Recently, Pastor Sharper has completed studies to be certified as a Clinical Christian Counselor and Therapist as a part of her ministry.
Vender Wright, who is 2019 Ms. Hopkins County Senior, is a member of Evening Chapel CME and a longtime friend of Pastor Sharper. Vender also loves to cook! So she organized a plan to prepare the food and for both churches to sponsor the free meal at the Evening Chapel dining hall. Anyone who attends can meet both pastors, request prayer, and receive spiritual encouragement. The meal is a gift with a heartfelt wish for a blessed holiday in celebration of the birth of the Christ Child, the Reason for the season.
The menus is to be Chicken and Dressing, green beans, potato salad and rolls plus a variety of southern-style desserts! You may eat in or take out, and the meal is absolutely free to everyone until all the food is gone.
Sulphur Springs Woman Accused Of Injuring To Her 18-Month-Old Child
A 25-year-old Sulphur Springs woman was jailed Thursday evening for allegedly bruising her 18-month-old while disciplining the child with a spoon, according to arrest reports.
Bridgette Lashelle Bowen contacted officials at Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office around 7 p.m. Dec. 19 regarding a child custody issue. Bowen allegedly told deputies that her parents had her 18-month-old child and refused to release the toddler to her because they claimed she abused the child when she spanked him to discipline him. Bowen admitted to spanking the child four to five times on the bottom with a wooden spoon as discipline for yelling, crying and acting out for no apparent reason, HCSO Sgt. Richard Greer and Deputy Drew Fisher alleged in arrest reports.
Greer agreed to escort the young woman to her residence where she and the child lived with her parents. Upon arrival at the residence, Greer contacted Bowen’s parents. Bowen’s mother was reportedly holding the child in question, sans diaper, exposing bruising on the entirety of one side of his bottom and a small bruise on the other side, the deputy noted in arrest reports.
After talking with all parties involved, Greer determined the bruising was the result of Bowen spanking her son with the spoon on Monday, Dec. 16, according to arrest reports. HCSO Investigator Dennis Findley and Child Protective Services personnel were contacted regarding the situation.
After talking to Findley, Greer spoke with Bowen again. Then, he informed Bowen that “it was my opinion based on the facts at hand that her form of discipline exceeded normal discipline and was abuse.” Consequently, Bowen was arrested for injury to a child, based on her own admission that the injuries were a direct result of her actions, according to arrest reports.
Bowen remained in Hopkins County jail Friday morning, Dec. 20. Bond on the charge was set at $20,000 on the injury to a child charge, according to jail reports.
Clayton Introduces Solar Panel Technology To Texas Home Building Facility
National Home Builder Installs 200 KW Solar Carport System To Promote Green Construction
Sulphur Springs, Texas, Dec. 19, 2019 – Clayton, a Tennessee-based home builder of site-built and off-site built homes, has installed its first 200 kilowatt solar carport system at its Clayton Sulphur Springs home building facility in Texas. Installed by Solar One, the new solar panel system will allow the company to offset 30 to 40 percent of the facility’s on-demand electricity use with renewable energy, while providing shade for its team members’ vehicles.
“Our new solar carport system not only serves as a cost savings tool but also as a pivotal example of Clayton’s commitment to sustainable building and innovation,” said Gavin Mabe, director of engineering and technology at Clayton. “Our team is very proud to further promote our national green building initiative by creating clean renewable energy that our facility will use to build hundreds of homes every year.”
The new solar power system has the potential to help Clayton Sulphur Springs’ team save just over $24,000 per year in energy costs. To enhance the company’s team member experience, the solar panels were installed in the parking lot to provide shade for team member vehicles and ensure a safer ground location for long-term maintenance of the solar carport system.
“We hope this new solar panel system will serve as a test for further renewable energy enhancements across Clayton,” said Don McCann, general manager of Clayton Sulphur Springs. “Our company is dedicated to tapping smarter, sustainable energy sources and innovative technology to create a cleaner building process for our Clayton Built® homes.”
The solar carport installation is part of ongoing efforts to utilize sustainable building and innovation practices at Clayton. The Clayton Sulphur Springs facility, along with all 40 Clayton off-site home building facilities around the nation, have earned International Organization for Standardization 14001 registration for their sustainable building practices. This highly regarded registration helps ensure that sustainable building guidelines are implemented to promote green practices that increase recycling, reduce energy use and decrease landfill waste.
According to recent solar industry reports, US solar capacity currently totals 71.3 Gigawatts (GW), enough to power 13.5 million American homes. A record number of companies, cities, schools, and utilities are turning to solar power to not only provide electricity, but also to reduce overall electricity costs and help protect the environment.
About Clayton
Founded in 1956, Clayton is a diverse home builder committed to quality and durability, offering traditional site-built homes and off-site built housing – including modular homes, manufactured homes, CrossMod™ homes, tiny homes, college dormitories, military barracks and apartments. All Clayton Built® homes are designed, engineered and assembled in America. In 2018, Clayton delivered 47,570 homes to families across the nation. Clayton is a Berkshire Hathaway company.
For more information, visit www.claytonhomes.com.
Community Chest Holiday Hours and Services
We would like the community to know that the Hopkins County Food Bank will be closed the week of Christmas and the week of New Years for regularly scheduled hours. However, emergency food will be offered for existing clients only on the following days:
Week B Clients on 12-27-2019 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Week A Clients on 12-31-2019 From 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
If you have any questions call: 903-885-3452
Press Release From the Texas Department of Transportation
Description: Texas Department of Transportation (R)
NEWS RELEASE
PARIS DISTRICT
Tim McAlavy
(903) 737-9213
[email protected]
DRUNK DRIVING CAUSES LIFETIME OF HEARTACHE FOR TEXAS FAMILY OVER THE HOLIDAYS
TxDOT’s ‘Plan While You Can’ campaign urges drivers to find a sober ride
Dec. 19, 2019
AUSTIN – When Rebecca Grimes sets the table during the holiday season, there’s always a missing piece. Nearly four decades ago in 1982, a drunk driver killed her brother, 18-year-old José “Hector” Martinez, in a head-on crash just before Thanksgiving. The holidays have never been the same since then.
“Even 30 years since Hector’s crash, we still feel that one empty chair at the table during the holidays,” Rebecca Grimes said. “Drunk drivers affect so many people beyond just those who are in the crash. They have a domino effect — crushing multiple families — and the impact lingers for years, decades beyond the crash.”
Grimes is sharing her story as part of TxDOT’s “Plan While You Can” campaign which urges drivers to make a plan for a sober ride this holiday season.
“Just don’t drink and drive, and don’t risk putting your family or someone else’s through heartache this holiday season,” Grimes said.
In 2018, there were 2,370 DUI-alcohol related crashes in Texas during the holiday season.* Those crashes killed 75 people and seriously injured another 199.
“The bad decision to drink and drive can turn the joy and revelry of the season into tragedy, causing unimaginable heartache for years to come,” TxDOT Executive Director James Bass said. “There’s no excuse: plan ahead and be responsible.”
The “Plan While You Can” campaign will tour the state featuring the “Plan to Win” virtual reality game. The game poses questions related to drinking and driving demonstrating the consequences of getting behind the wheel through an immersive experience.
Driving under the influence of alcohol not only risks death or serious injuries, but it can also be costly. Drivers can face up to $17,000 in fines and fees, jail time and loss of their driver’s license. Instead of getting behind the wheel, here are some alternative options:
Designating a sober driver or calling someone for a ride home
Calling a cab or ride-share service
Using mass transit
Spending the night
“Plan While You Can” is a key component of #EndTheStreakTX, a broader social media and word-of-mouth effort that encourages drivers to make safer choices while behind the wheel, like wearing a seat belt, driving the speed limit and never driving after drinking or doing drugs. Nov. 7, 2000 was the last deathless day on Texas roadways. #EndTheStreakTX asks all Texans to commit to driving safely to help end the streak of daily deaths on Texas roadways.
For media inquiries, contact TxDOT Media Relations at [email protected] or (512) 463-8700.
*Dec. 1, 2018 – Jan. 1, 2019. The information contained in this report represents reportable data collected from the Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Report (CR-3). This information was received and processed by the department as of Nov. 8, 2019.
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The Texas Department of Transportation is responsible for maintaining 80,000 miles of road and for supporting aviation, maritime, rail and public transportation across the state.
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Saltillo Lady Lions Basketball Team Wins Last Game Before Christmas Break
The Saltillo Lady Lions picked up a non-district win against Wills Point, 52-30 at Saltillo Tuesday night (December 17). The Lady Lions got off to a good start and led after the first quarter, 19-7. Wills Point cut three points off of the lead in the second quarter but still trailed the Lady Lions, 25-16 at halftime. The Lady Lions outscored Wills Point 27-14 in the second half to take the 52-30 win. Anna Reeder led the Lady Lions in scoring with 18 points. Chandler Bain had 7 points. Jocelyn Ochoa, Brittney Peeples and Maddy Smith had 6 points apiece. Kristina Wade scored 5 points. Julianna Giles and Paisley Kastner had 2 points each. Lady Lions Coach Bill Giles said the Lady Lions played a good second half. He added they have had a good year so far going into the break. With district play coming up, Coach Giles said the Lady Lions have got to keep improving every day in practice. He said the girls have put time in on their own and it is continuing to show. With the win, the Lady Lions improve to 13-7 for the season. Saltillo is currently ranked #17 in Class A according to the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Poll. The Lady Lions play next after Christmas at the Miller Grove Tournament December 27-28. On December 27, the Lady Lions play Como-Pickton at 9 a.m. and CHESS at 2:15 p.m.
