Como-Pickton CISD Administrators Developing Plans To Meet Students’ Needs In Event of Extended School Closure
Como-Pickton CISD administrators on Friday, like all districts in Hopkins County, made the decision to extend spring break an extra week as a preventive approach to the COVID-19 situation. Today, Superintendent Greg Bower posted a letter (see below) to CP parents and students assuring them that, in the event the school remains closed for an even longer period of time as a preventive measure, the district administrators will have a longer ranged plan in place by Thursday to better meet both the instructional and nutritional needs of CP students.
Miller Grove ISD Offers Meals For Students During Extended Closure
All MGISD Students Asked To Complete Home Technology Survey
Miller Grove ISD Superintendent Steve Johnson on Sunday said the district wants to help ensure all MGISD students will still have the opportunity to receive breakfast and lunch during the extended closure due to COVID-19.
Breakfast and a sack lunch will be delivered to bus students and made available for pick up for other students Monday-Friday.
Families are asked to complete the form on the district website or email the superintendent, [email protected], or one of the campus principals, [email protected] or [email protected], to have their MGISD students’ names put on the list.
MGISD administrators also ask that students/parents complete the technology at home survey on the district website for each child in grades 1-12. This will allow school officials to “make estimations and preparations to possibly provide Internet hotspots and devices to households who do not have devices and Internet if school remains closed longer than this week.”
CHRISTUS Sulphur Springs Stands Ready To Combat Any Health Crisis
As the President of the United States asks for all hospitals to activate their emergency plans, KSST News reached out to our local hospital to confirm the details. CHRISTUS administrator, Paul Harvey, wanted to reassure the local community that not only is there an emergency plan in place, but that it has already been implemented. Mr. Harvey stated, “Just like our disaster response plans, we have a plan in place to combat emergencies such as this.” He added that, “the entire CHRISTUS system continues to work on preparing for and implementing procedures to protect the local communities served by the CHRISTUS system.”
CHRISTUS staff is part of the Hopkins County Emergency Management team that has been working on this impending crisis. Although there have currently been no confirmed coronavirus cases, CHRISTUS staff has not had any “presumptive” cases as well. CHRISTUS continues to monitor the situation at the state and federal levels and can quickly adjust any protocols that may include testing, containment, quarantine, and treatment.
The following is a statement released on CHRISTUS website:
March 14, 2020 – 4:30 p.m.
We continue to work in solidarity with our partners in the health care community, city and county leaders, and local health authorities to ensure our community is well prepared. Together, we stand united in our commitment to keep the people we serve safe.
At CHRISTUS, we remain vigilant in responding to this evolving situation, meeting throughout the day to ensure we are prepared to respond to present and potential future needs of our community. We continue to follow Centers for Disease Control guidelines for healthcare facilities located in areas, like ours, that are not experiencing community spread. We do have emergency preparedness plans in place and are fully prepared to execute as appropriate for our community circumstances.
CHRISTUS facilities remain a safe place for all to receive quality care. While COVID-19 is new, our processes and procedures in place for infection prevention and preventing the spread of illness are not. From physicians and nurses, quality and safety experts to those responsible for ordering supplies and keeping the hospital clean — all of our Associates are involved in making sure we provide a safe environment for our patients. Every single day.
Passengers On Carnival Miracle Cruise Ship Unsure Of Next Destination
Passengers on the cruise ship Carnival Miracle are unsure of where or when they will be able to disembark from their current vacation. The cruise ship was planned to dock in Cabo San Lucas tomorrow, but will skip that port and continue on toward California. The 14-day cruise was originally to terminate in San Francisco on March 19th, 2020, but that has changed. The ship now hopes to terminate and disembark on March 18th in Southern California, although the exact port has yet to be determined.
Passengers on Carnival Miracle cruise ship have received the following information from the Captain of that vessel.
| March 15, 2020 Dear Carnival Miracle Guest, As I shared in my announcement earlier, our itinerary has been modified and we will be sailing directly to California. As a result, we will be cancelling our planned visit to Cabo San Lucas tomorrow. Our current plan is to dock on Wednesday, March 18, in a port in southern California as it is highly likely that San Francisco will not be available to incoming cruise calls. Since we will be docking one-day earlier than scheduled you will receive the following: –One day pro-rated refund of your cruise fare, and any beverage and WiFi packages. –Refund of pre-purchased Carnival shore excursions, as well as taxes, fees and port expenses for Cabo San Lucas. –Adjustment of gratuities reflecting the shortened voyage duration. |
| For the time being, there is nothing for you to do or worry about. Please do not contact your airline until we know for certain where we will dock at and the approximate time of arrival. Airlines have been extremely flexible these past 10 days but it is best to wait until we know for certain our plans. In the meantime, we will be opening the internet and phone lines so you can contact your family to alert them of this change of plans. I will continue to provide you with timely updates. We have enjoyed making fun and memorable moments with you on this voyage and sincerely apologize for this unexpected change of plans. Thanks for your understanding. Sincerely, Captain Giulio Basso |
Carnival Fascination Cruise Ship Denied At San Juan, Puerto Rico
Anyone sailing on the Carnival Fascination will be on that ship a couple of more days, due to the Puerto Rican government denying disembarkation in San Juan. The ship is now sailing to Miami and should arrive there by noon on Tuesday.
The following is a statement from the Captain of the Fascination, Paolo Severini, to passengers of his ship.
March 15, 2020
Dear Carnival Fascination Guest,
The government of Puerto Rico has denied the disembarkation of the ship unless all guests completed new health clearance requirements. This process was expected to take up to three or four days. This is despite the fact that we do not have anyone on board with flu-like illness. Our request to at least debark Puerto Rican residents was denied.
Our plan is now to sail to Miami where we have already obtained approval from port officials to dock the ship. We expect to arrive in Miami at noon on Tuesday. We have plenty of food, fuel, water and supplies and a full schedule of entertainment and activities for you to enjoy.
| If you have independent flight arrangements, we encourage you to contact the airline carrier directly so they can assist you with making the necessary changes. We are looking at flight options for those guests who need to return to San Juan as well as transportation to the Miami or Ft. Lauderdale airports for all other guests. Please complete the attached questionnaire and return to Guest Services by 3:00 PM today. Puerto Rican guests – please let us if you need flight arrangements to San Juan for TuesdayOther guests – please let us know if you need cruise terminal to airport transportation |
| Sincerely, Captain Paolo Severini |
Sulphur Springs’ Walmart Closing 11pm-6am Until Further Notice
In response to the world-wide pandemic of Coronavirus (COVID-19), all Walmart stores and Neighborhood Markets will be open from 6am-11pm. This will allow store associates to clean and re-stock the store each night.
You can read the full press release here: Walmart’s Response to Coronavirus.
Meal A Day Menu March 16-20, 2020
Monday — Corn Flake Chicken Casserole, California Blend Vegetables and a Roll
Tuesday — Rope Sausage, Sauerkraut, Stewed Red Potatoes and Black-Eyed Peas
Wednesday — Chicken Nuggets, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Green Beans and a Roll
Thursday — Chicken Salad, Pasta Salad, Potato Salad, Tossed Salad, Crackers and Fruit Salad
Friday — Cheeseburger, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion and Pickle Spear, Baked Beans and Chips
The Sulphur Springs Senior Citizens Center is a place where Senior Citizens age 50 and over can have a good time with old friends and make some new ones. Meal-A-Day is just one service the center provides. The coffee pot is always on and a smile is on each face. The SCC has a full library with all different kinds of reading books that can be taken, read and returned. Take as many as you like and bring some of your books in to share with others. Click here to find more information for seniors citizens.
COVID-19 Update: Courts, Jail Procedures Impacted As Preventive Measures
All Local School Districts Cancel Classes Next Week; No Confirmed Coronavirus Reported In Hopkins County
Local government entities continue to make preparations to prevent potential spread of the coronavirus.
As of noon Saturday, no cases of COVID-19 had been reported in Hopkins County. While 51 cases of COVID-19 had been reported throughout the state Saturday, the nearest confirmed cases to Hopkins County, according to Texas Department of State Health Services and the CDC are in Gregg, Smith and Dallas area counties. Fifteen pediatric patients have died in Texas through Friday from the flu, according to the latest DSHS report.
Local officials continue to coordinate resources and efforts to be ready, should Sulphur Springs and Hopkins County have any coronavirus cases, and encourage residents to take hygienic precautions to help guard against the possibility of contracting an illness.
School Districts, UIL
Miller Grove ISD Hornet 
All Hopkins County school districts (Como-Pickton CISD and, Cumby, Miller Grove, North Hopkins, Saltillo, Sulphur Bluff and Sulphur Springs ISDs), along with Yantis and Cooper ISDs, have extended spring break by a week, with students tentatively set to return to classes March 23.
A full list of Texas school district closings can be found on the TEA website.
The University Interscholastic League has suspended all UIL sanctioned contests March 16-29 as well due to the outbreak of COVID-19 in Texas. Changes and updates to upcoming UIL event schedules can be found in their respective sections on the UIL website.
College, University
PJC Paris Junior College
Texas A&M University-Commerce and Paris Junior College campuses will not have face-to-face classes next week either. TAMUC classes will resume in an online format on March 16. Online courses can be accessed from the myLeo Online learning management system using your CWID and password. For additional information about accessing myLeo Online, students should consult D2L FAQs or call 877-310-8174 for further questions.
On March 12, NCAA President Mark Emmert and the Board of Governors canceled the Division I men’s and women’s 2020 basketball tournaments, as well as all remaining winter and spring NCAA championships.
Paris Junior College is extending spring break an additional week for students. On Monday, March 23, PJC classes will resume, strictly in an online environment. PJC officials hope to resume face-to-face classes on April 6.
All full-time faculty and staff at PJC should report to campus on Monday, March 16. Part-time employees of PJC are not to report to work unless contacted and instructed to do so by their supervisor. Student workers are not expected to return to campus to work until Monday, April 6.
NJCAA suspend all spring competition beginning Saturday, March 14 through Friday, April 3 along with the postponement of basketball championships until April 20.
County,- Court, Jail
Due to COVID-19, preventive measures were put in plac Friday night at Hopkins County Jail to protect staff and inmates. On-site visitation is no longer being offers, in response to Governor Abbots order. NCIC, video visitation contractor, will provide two free offsite visits. For more information, contact the jail by phone, Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office reports.
Any official reports from the county will be posted at the Hopkins County Emergency Management Facebook page. So far HCEM also reports no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Hopkins County, coordinated efforts, and regular contact with state and other officials
Eighth Judicial District Judge Eddie Northcutt Friday reported access to necessary court proceedings is being restricted to essential personnel. To adhere to the open courts rules, accommodations may be made with notice. Many dockets and proceedings are being rescheduled until threat from COVID-19 has passed.
Sulphur Springs, Cumby
The City of Sulphur Springs is cancelling all court hearings and trials in the municipal court until further notices. Sulphur Springs officials continue to coordinate with other local agencies regarding public safety response to make sure that all are on the same page, according to the city manager.
The City of Cumby is also monitoring the situation, and city officials too encourage residents to take preventive measures by practicing healthy hygiene.
Hospital, Nursing Facilities
Several nursing, rehabilitation and assisted living facilities have reported limited or restricted visitation measures in place to protect residents.
CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs, according to facility officials, continues observe the same visitation guidelines established when the area began experiencing a rise in influenza patients: no visitors under 12 or who exhibit symptoms of illness such as a fever.
CHRISTUS did cancel an event that was supposed to be held at the Senior Citizens Center on March 20.
State Parks
State Parks in Texas will remain open next week, and park staff are ready to welcome visitors for the day or for overnight stays, according to Texas State Parks Director Rodney Franklin.
Miller Grove, Yantis Boys Recognized With All District, Academic All District Honors
Several students from Miller Grove ISD and Yantis ISD were named to the 2019 – 20 District 23-A Boys All District Teams and All Academic Teams, according to information provided by Miller Grove ISD Secondary Principal/Athletic Director Gary Billingsley
Named to the First Team were sophomore Isaiah Billingsley and junior Kobe Robertson, both from Miller Grove.
Named to the Second Team were Miller Grove junior Matt Brignon and sophomore Lexton Sly.
Honorable Mention went to sophomore Tanner Hensley and freshman Riley Hasten, both of Miller Grove, and to junior Carlos Lopez of Yantis.
Recognized for Academic All District were Yantis’ Jude Calvillo, Elgin Curry, Carlos Lopez, Camren Lutz and Samuel Schlagel; and Miller Grove’s Kobe Robertson, Isaiah Billingsley, Jacob George and Lexton Sly.
Arkansas Woman Arrested Following Off-Duty Officer’s Report Of Suspected Narcotics Use, Disturbance
A 36-year-old Hot Springs, Arkansas woman was arrested by Sulphur Springs police. Police responded to a call around 1:42 p.m. March 13, 2020. An off-duty officer reported suspected narcotics use and a possible disturbance in the 1300 block of South Broadway Street.
Upon arrival, Sulphur Springs Police Officer Floyd reported the off-duty officer was attempting to hold a woman still, so he put her into handcuffs. She allegedly told officers she and her boyfriend were in an argument.
The off-duty officer reported seeing Golden using narcotics. Golden allegedly told police there was marijuana in her car; two bags of marijuana were indeed located. In addition, a used syringe, a glass pipe of the type used to smoke methamphetamine, a marijuana grinder and two different types of Penalty Group 1 pills were also allegedly located in the Mitsubishi Outlander.
A Hopkins County sheriff’s unit was contacted to transport the woman identified in arrest reports as Lacey Golden. The woman had reportedly urinated on herself. Golden was charged with possession of less than 2 ounces of marijuana, and possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance; both charges had a drug-free zone enhancement due to the proximity of the stop to Bowie Primary School, according to arrest reports.
KSSTRadio.com publishes Sulphur Springs Police Department reports and news. The Police Department is located at 125 Davis St., Sulphur Springs, Texas. Non-emergency calls can be made to (903) 885-7602.
If you have an emergency dial 9-1-1.
The Sulphur Springs Police Department continues to serve its citizens with pride in its overall mission and will strive to provide the best possible police force in the 21st century.
If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1
The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.
