Meal a Day Receives a Gift from LSH Quilt Guild
Linda Taylor, Karon Weatherman and Sherri Littrell
The Lone Star Heritage Quilt Guild made a $ 1,550.00 donation
to the Meal A Day Program. The Quilters wanted to help pay for the Seniors that can not pay for their Meal A Day lunches.
Shown in photo left to right:
Linda Taylor, Karon Weatherman and Sherri Littrell
The Quilt Guild is a group of very caring and talented people. The monthly meetings of the Guild are held at the Seniors Center.
Wildcats Basketball, Wildcats and Lady Cats Soccer on Game Day Tuesday
Basketball and soccer are happening on this Tuesday (December 17) game day.
The Wildcats Basketball Team faces one of their biggest challenges of the season as Denton Guyer will be at the main gym at Sulphur Springs High School Tuesday taking on the Wildcats. There will be a freshman game at 5 p.m. A JV contest will follow at around 6:15 p.m. The varsity game is expected to get underway at around 7:30 p.m. Guyer is ranked #5 in Class 6A. The Guyer Wildcats have a 10-2 season record. The Sulphur Springs Wildcats, ranked #17 in Class 5A, have a season record of 11-4. Wildcats Coach Clark Cipoletta said Guyer has several very tall players that will make the Wildcats appear to be small. KSST Radio will have the Denton Guyer and Wildcats game for you Tuesday night featuring live streaming video and audio. The game will also be videotaped for replay later on Channel 18 on Suddenlink Cable and will also be posted to YouTube after the game.
Meanwhile the Wildcats and Lady Cats’ soccer teams will both have their second scrimmage of the season and both will be playing Paris. The Wildcats take on Paris at Gerald Prim Stadium. The Wildcats JV takes on Paris at 5:30 p.m. The Wildcats varsity plays Paris at 7:15 p.m. Paris is preseason ranked #6 in Class 4A.
The Lady Cats Soccer Team will be traveling to Paris. They too will have a JV scrimmage at 5:30 p.m. The Lady Cats varsity takes on Paris at around 7:15 p.m. The Paris Lady Wildcats are also preseason ranked in Class 4A. Lady Cats Soccer Coach Javier Aguayo expects Paris to present more of a challenge that Kilgore, who the Lady Cats scrimmaged last Thursday at The Prim. Coach Aguayo says Paris went four rounds into the playoffs last year. He says one of the Paris’ players is so good that the Lady Cats will have to know where she is at all times. Last Thursday the Lady Cats battled to a 2-2 tie with Kilgore before falling in penalty kicks. Coach Aguayo says his team must improve its’ passing. He says a couple of mistakes led to goals by Kilgore last week Still he says the Lady Cats are getting better adding that they have come a long way since last season.
HCSO: Paris Woman Jailed In Hopkins County On Controlled Substance Charge
A 27-year-old Paris woman was reportedly found in possession of edible treats containing THC and arrested Monday night.
Hopkins County sheriff’s deputies reported stopping a Kia Optima seen at 9:42 p.m. Dec. 16 traveling at 76 miles per hour in the 65 mph speed zone on State Highway 19 north at County Road 4764.
Upon contact with the driver, deputies smelled a strong odor of suspected marijuana emitting from the vehicle, Hopkins County Sheriff’s Deputies Bobby Orsornio and Zachary Horne alleged in arrest reports.
A probable cause search of the car allegedly revealed a sealed baggy containing Trichome Treats, 500 mg THC Blueberry Belts. Driver Rakeysha Sade McFrazier claimed ownership of the contraband and was taken into custody, Osornio and Horne alleged in arrest reports.
McFrazier was booked into the county jail Monday on a felony possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 2 controlled substance charge. She was released from jail Tuesday, Dec. 17; bond on the charge was set at $5,000, according to jail reports.
ALL CLEAR GIVEN: Walmart Determined to be Safe to Enter
The Walmart in Sulphur Springs was briefly evacuated earlier today. Local law enforcement reported a possible bomb threat was called in. Officials gave the all clear at approximately 12:50 PM Tuesday.
Witnesses stated the store alarm sounded, and an overhead announcement calmly asked everyone to drop their shopping an evacuate the building.
KSST has not received any report of any injuries.
Stay tuned to KSST for further updates.
Walmart Being Evacuated Due To Possible Threat
The Walmart in Sulphur Springs is currently being evacuated. Local law enforcement reported a possible bomb threat was called in. Officials are currently in the process of evacuating the store so it can be check out.
Witnesses stated the store alarm sounded, and an overhead announcement calmly asked everyone to drop their shopping an evacuate the building.
The validity of the threat is yet to be determined.
Obviously, all agencies request people avoid the area until the all clear is given.
KSST has not received any report of any injuries.
Stay tuned to KSST for further updates.
Planning And Zoning Commission Recommends Granting Special Use Permit
After discussion Monday evening, Sulphur Springs Planning and Zoning Commission is recommending that the Zoning Board of Adjustments and Appeals approve Danny Weems’ request for a special use permit.
Weems Monday night told the Planning and Zoning Commission that the tower would allow his business to construct a communications tower to extend up to 180 foot tower. Cross Country Communications provides telephone and Internet services which are broadcast via “line-of-sight” to the businesses other tower, which would allow the business to offer services to additional areas.
The business currently has a tower that extends 120 feet above ground level. It is affixed to the top of the building at 402 Church St. and is supported by guide wires. Allowing the business to have a 180 foot tower would allow the business to put addition equipment on the tower and extend it further into the air, which should allow the service to be available to additional potential customers. The tower on top of the building now would be removed, Springs Community Development Director Tory Niewiadomski and Weems told the three commission members present at their 6 p.m. meeting Monday.
The tower would be very similar to one another property owner has constructed at 100 Craig Street.
Niewiadomski said 17 letters had been sent out regarding the proposal, but had received only one response on Monday from a Mr. Schnell who lives at 416 Church St. who provided four reasons of opposition to the request.
Schnell cited the tower’s line-of-sight to the courthouse, providing another tower next to the current one; in and out of compliance for years with no light markings; concern who would be responsible for the tower if the business were to move or go out of business, if it were to decay or fall down, and how that would impact neighbors’ homeowner’s insurance; and radio frequency radiation, Niewiadomski told the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Planning and Zoning Commissioner Tommy Harrison asked if there had been any issues with lighting, as indicated in the letter.
Niewiadomski said he was aware of no problems, but referred the question to the applicant.
Weems said the tower was on the building when he purchased it, used by prior Atmos Energy for use for two-way radios.
“There has never been any problem with the tower as far as lighting, no lighting was required. The lighting comes in if you are over 195 feed,” Weems told the council.
Because the tower would be only up to 180 feet, it wouldn’t require any special lighting as the 100 foot tower atop the 20 foot tall building.
Currently, Cross Country Communications has a company that checks on the guide wires on the existing building as a maintenance matter. The new tower would be self-supporting with a foundation according the drawings prepared by an engineer.
“These towers are all over the country. They are very safe the way they are engineered. We shouldn’t have any problems at all. Really, there’s no maintenance to be done,” Weems said.
English asked if the tower would, in his opinion, be safer than the existing tower.
“I don’t want it to sound like my tower isn’t safe. It will hold more equipment,” Weems said, adding that it is “probably safer” due to the age of the existing tower, which professionals have verified is still structurally sound.
Harrison asked if the business were to relocate or no longer operate at the location, what would become of the tower.
Weems he said he expects if the business were moved to a different location and sold the property, the tower would likely remain a fixed asset on the property, unless the new owner did not want it there.
Craig English noted the tower in real estate would be considered the same way a driveway or other similar feature would. It would be up to any future owner whether or not to remove the tower.
Weems said the tower could easily be dismantled with a crane, just as it will be assembled in 20 foot sections after the foundation it’s placed into is set. Most of the work will be in the foundation, with a lot or rebar and concrete, all under the ground and not visible.
Niewiadomski reminded the council of the rule they learned earlier in the year when a request was made for a cell tower. The commission is not allowed to consider the environmental affects of towers when reviewing applications.
a proposed communications tower to be located next to her residence.
Laura Ardis, who lives next door to the property at 400 Church St., asked why the propsed tower had to be so close to her property instead of in the middle or back corner adjoining a business property.
Weems said the tower’s proposed location because of it’s proximity to the building, as cables will go from the tower into the building to transmit data, and because the other area of the property is a designated parking area.
Ardis called the tower, visible from her back yard a “hideous” sight.
Planning and Zoning Commissioner Mike Horne asked if the tower would be visible from Ardis’ back yard.
Weems said there are trees and vegetation, but a tall, possibly 8 foot tall privacy fence could be installed to hide that much of it from public view. There’ currently a chain-link fence in place.
Ardis asked requirements in city ordinance regarding towers.
Horne noted a special use permit is required to construct a tower, which are approved on a case by case basis. Niewiadomski reported there’s no other specific requirements.
Chris DeLong, who co-owns one multifamily property near the site, asked if there would be any benefits to the residents and community.
Weems said it would make additional internet available to more property owners, residents and businesses at a competitive rate.
Niewiadomski said it is the recommendation of city staff that the request be approved provided two requirements are met. First, city staff would like to there to be a letter from the FAA indicating no hazard will exist from the proposed facility. Also, the applicant would need to comply with all FCC requirements for pre-clearance, which would be provided before the city officially issues the permit.
The Planning and Zoning Commission agreed to recommend the tower request as proposed to the Zoning Board of Adjustments and Appeals, who will have final say on the request. The matter is among the items listed for ZBA consideration at the board’s next meeting, scheduled at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 17, at City Hall, 201 North Davis St.
The Planning and Zoning Commission was slated to discuss accessory dwelling units, but opted to table that discussion until a future meeting.
Also, the city will have the task of appointing two members to the commission in the future. Commissioner Kelly Grimes had to resigned previously. Mike Horne has notified the city that he too will soon be moving outside of the city limits and thus ineligible to serve on the committee.
The Downtown Revitalization Board canceled its scheduled meeting Monday night due to lack of quorum.
Mitchell Chapel COGIC Gives Back with Community Lunch
For the past several years, the Mitchell Chapel Church family has been blessed to give to the Sulphur Springs community through the “Rescue the Perishing” Food Drive during December. This Christmas, their gift comes in the form of a free lunch for the community. On the menu is chicken and dressing, green beans, potato salad, bread, dessert and drink. The delicious lunch plate, prepared by the good cooks at Mitchell Chapel, will be available at noon on Friday December 20 at the church dining hall at 402 South JD Franklin Street, (formerly named South Jackson Street). It is offered free in the spirit of Christmas. Anyone can come and dine in or take out. Delivery is not possible this year.
“We have been so blessed this year with growth at our church. The congregation is growing and is excited and exuberant in their worship!” remarked Pastor of Mitchell Chapel COGIC, Nelson Gatlin on the KSST Good Morning Show. Gatlin has served the church for 23 years, and in addition to his local responsibilities, in 2015 Gatlin was named a prelate or Bishop of the Texas NE 3rd Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction. Now, Sulphur Springs is the headquarter city for the Jurisdiction, and Mitchell Chapel Church is the headquarter church. Earlier in December, Gatlin invited the other Bishops for a visit. The local congregation hosted all the 18 Bishops from across the State of Texas for a mid-week retreat. In addition to 10 Auxiliary bishops, there are 28 total serving the state, and more than 350 Bishops Church in the Church of God in Christ worldwide.
In addition to this Friday’s community lunch, the public is invited to attend services of the multi-racial congregation all through the year. Sunday School starts at 9am and Morning Worship at 10:30am every Sunday. A special 8am Worship service is added on the second and fourth Sundays of the month, and Pastoral teaching is held on Thursdays at 7pm. From Pastor Gatlin and First Lady Katherine Gatlin, everyone is welcome to visit and to come back and worship with us.
