‘Thankful and Grateful’ Shopping Event at Lou Nell Fashions on Thurs Nov. 21
Carrie Crowson and her staff at Lou Nell Fashions are truly thankful and grateful for the year of loyal business by local customers as well as shoppers from other towns who return for beautiful styles season after season. Owning a full-service ladies wear store gives Carrie a chance to not only get acquainted with customers on a first-name basis and to offer friendly, personal service, but also to exercise the talents she honed for a Fashion Merchandising degree in college. Throughout the year, Carrie stays on top of the latest trends, shops at Dallas Market each year, and markets both her businesses, Lou Nell’s in Sulphur Springs and C.C. and Company in Greenville, with daily facebook posts that are fresh and informative. And 30-plus year old Lou Nell Fashions is truly a family-owned business with a history! A few years ago, Carrie and her husband Larry ‘inherited’ the business from Billy and Nell Crowson, who had opened Lou Nell’s to serve local ladies from the original location at 122 Lee Street in Sulphur Springs, Texas.
For visitors to the shop on Thursday November 21, there will be refreshments, hourly door prize drawings and storewide discounts!
Sulphur Springs Man Sentenced To Life In Prison
Terence Ramon Beachem, 47, of Sulphur Springs was sentenced by 8th Judicial District Judge Eddie Northcutt Tuesday morning to life in prison.
Beachem was on 10 years deferred adjudication probation for an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon when he was arrested Aug. 28, 2019, for allegedly invading his ex-girlfriend’s home, where he attempted to gag and take her from the residence.
As he was taking her from the home, she reportedly screamed, catching others’ attention. When he tried to cover her mouth, she allegedly bit the tip of his finger off then fled. Authorities chased him from near Interstate 30 to Helm Lane, where he allegedly crashed the vehicle he was in and forced his way into another residence before being apprehended.
Beachem was on deferred adjudication probation for allegedly ramming the vehicle of a person with whom he was in an argument, causing damage to the other vehicle and city property in the downtown area on Aug. 12, 2018.
Based on the recent allegations, a motion was filed to “proceed to adjudication” or revoke his probation on the prior aggravated assault charge, according to the district attorney’s office. A hearing was held Monday and Tuesday regarding that motion.
Because Beachem has an extensive criminal history which includes previous time served in the penitentiary, if his probation was violated on the adjudicated charge, he faced a punishment range of 25 years to life in prison.
After hearing all the evidence and considering the man’s extensive criminal record, which dated back to November of 1989, Northcutt sentenced Beachem to life in the penitentiary.
“Sadly, Mr. Beachem has demonstrated over his entire adult life that he is unable to live peacefully in society. There comes a point when we must ensure that no law-abiding citizen is ever threatened by him again,” Will Ramsay, 8th Judicial District Attorney, said following the verdict Tuesday morning.
The district attorney also expressed thanks to the “brave survivor in this case for testifying in front of the man who savagely attacked her” and appreciation to the judge.
“Judge Northcutt considered all the horrendous evidence in this case and the defendant’s 30-year resumé of crime to reach a just verdict of life in the penitentiary. I appreciate his commitment to sending a statement and keeping the community safe,” Ramsay said.
ATM Stolen From Pilot Travel Center In Sulphur Springs Early Nov. 19
Police Seeking Public’s Help With Case
The front entrance at Pilot Travel Center was damaged by a van and an ATM was stolen early Tuesday morning by three people in a van, according to Sulphur Springs police.
The “smash and grab” was reported to have occurred around 3 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19, while the business was open.
A light colored van pulled into the front of the store. No one was injured, but the front entrance doors and wall of the Hillcrest Drive business were damaged. At least three masked individuals, thought to be males, then allegedly proceeded to load the ATM into the back of the van and drove away, Sulphur Springs Police Detective Brian Shurtleff reported late Tuesday morning.
A short time later, authorities located the van they believe to have been used to smash the glass and haul the ATM away. The van appeared to have been abandoned on Rockdale Road, sans ATM. A records check using the vehicle ID information showed it to have been reported stolen out of Dallas, according to Shurtleff.
Sulphur Springs Police are working to try to identify and locate the individuals involved in the smashing of the front door and theft of the ATM from the South Hillcrest Drive business.
Police urge anyone with information about this case to call Lake Country Crime Stoppers at 903-885-2020. Tips made to Crime Stoppers are handled in such a way that the caller’s identify remains anonymous.
Emergency Sirens to be Tested Today
Emergency Sirens will be tested in Sulphur Springs today (Tuesday, November 19, 2019), by the Sulphur Springs Emergency Management office. The test will be conducted at noon.
The test is to gauge the reliability of the emergency warning system and is conducted to find any potential flaws in the system. Recent tests have shown the emergency sires to be a ready source of warning in case of emergencies such as weather or other threats to safety.
NE Texas Choral Society Puts Polish on the ‘Hearts Come Home for Christmas’ Concert for Dec. 7, 8 in Civic Center
Here’s one lady whose joy in her craft never gets old, even after two decades of conducting. Choral Society Director Carol Allen reminisces, “this is the twenty-second Christmas Concert which the Choral Society has prepared. That’s amazing to me! The musical scores, the beauty of the voices, the enthusiasm of the singers, the quality of the accompaniment, all remain fresh and new to us each season, just as the message about the newborn King in Bethlehem. And Christmas Concert has an irresistible pull for our audiences! Many say ‘this is how I get my Christmas started!’ You will have only two opportunities to experience this holiday event, so be sure and get your tickets online, at any of the banks or from our singers, and be there!”
Besides the soprano, alto, tenor and bass singers who come from all walks of life, the music is supported by talented accompanists. Ken Hanushek and Denise Stewart are pianists, Deanna Spraggins plays keyboard and Paul Clark is percussionist, and each of these regular members attend rehearsal every Monday night of the 15 weeks of concert preparation. During the final weeks, additional accompanists also attend rehearsals. Ben Scarborough, Kelley Fletcher, Jeff Smith and Dave Kirkpatrick are members of a nine-piece orchestra which will add richness to the holiday performance. Also, a small children’s choir will join in two selections and the finale. Carol added, ‘the first half of the concert will tell the lighthearted stories of Christmas, about Santa Claus, the festive times and the customs of the holiday around the world. Then following intermission, get back in your seats for the concert’s second half, as it conveys the story of the birth of Christ, the light he brought into the world and the joy and peace his birth makes possible for all of mankind. We feel the audience will be spellbound, that you can hear a pin drop, as our singers and musicians interpret both beloved traditional and original new compositions of this most blessed time of year”.
At this concert, audiences will be treated to the vocal teamwork of Christie Springfield and Paul Clark, a comedic ensemble performance of “Please Come Home for Christmas” featuring Peggy Simmons, a marvelous duet by Marlon Chisom and Maryann Rawson, and the debut presentation of a choral composition written and performed by soprano choir member Vicki Smolek.
The ‘Hearts Come Home for Christmas’ concert on December 7 and 8 will be recorded for playback on Cable Channel 18 TV. Also, the upcoming Spring Concert to be staged in May 2020 will be an all-spiritual, all-sacred presentation sure to touch your heart!
HCSO: Mount Vernon Man Caught In With Stolen Weapon, Drug Paraphernalia
A 56-year-old Mount Vernon man is alleged to have swallowed a bag of suspected controlled substance to prevent officials, who were booking him into jail on a weapon charge, from getting it early Tuesday morning.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Deputy Lance Burdick reported stopping a Chevrolet Tahoe at 12:37 a.m. on Shannon Road at South Broadway Street in Sulphur Springs for a defective license plate light and expired registration. The driver was issued a verbal warnings for the traffic violation, but his trouble with the law did not end there, according to sheriff’s reports.
Upon contact with the driver, identified in arrest reports as Darrell Ray Richards, Burdick reported seeing a .22-caliber handgun on the console. Richards reportedly admitted he did not have a license to carry a handgun.
A criminal history check showed Richards to have multiple prior felony arrests. A records check on the firearm showed it had been entered as a stolen firearm. Thus, Richards was taken into custody for theft of a firearm and the vehicle was towed, Burdick alleged in arrest reports.
Richards’ actions upon arrival at the county jail earned him an additional tampering with physical evidence charge as well, Burdick alleged in arrest reports.
A jail employee reported finding a glass pipe of the kind commonly used to smoke methamphetamine in Richards’ pants. While conducting a more thorough search, the jailer alleged seeing a clear bag containing a white substance in Richards’ mouth. While the jailer was attempting to get the bag from Richards, the 56-year-old Mount Vernon man allegedly swallowed the bag. The glass pipe was secured as evidence and the residue on it field-tested positive for methamphetamine.
Richards remained in the county jail Tuesday morning, Nov. 19, on the theft of a firearm and tampering with evidence charge, according to jail reports.
Yes! A New Seniors Center for Sulphur Springs! What are the Next Steps?
Karon Weatherman, Director of the Sulphur Springs Senior Citizens Center, is very excited about the new Seniors Center which will be built on City property located on Oak Avenue, near downtown. However, much preparation work must be carried out and construction completed before the first activities can be planned there for the Senior Citizen population. Tory Niewiadomski, Community Development Director for the City of Sulphur Springs, communicated the plans to Karon Weatherman.
There will be a number of steps prior to constructing a new Senior Citizens Building.
- The election passed, which means the City will have a funding source available to construct a new Senior Center.
- The City has been working with the other taxing jurisdictions on obtaining the deed for the former nursing home property on Oak Avenue and we now have it.
- The City will work with an architect to come up with a building design and site plan layout to meet the needs for the new Senior Citizens Building. This will take several months to come up with a design and plan.
- In the short term, we will start working on the demolition/remediation efforts of the Oak street property and perform some site preparation for the future building site.
- Once the Senior Center design is finished/complete, the City would go out to bid for the construction and award a contract and that would be approved by City Council.
This will not happen overnight and will take some time to carefully plan out this exciting investment for our seniors!
Tory Niewiadomski, Community Development Director
Soccer Anyone! First Official Practice Date is December 2 for Wildcats
With Thanksgiving rapidly approaching, so is Wildcats and Lady Cats soccer practice. UIL rules say the first official day for practice is December 2, the first day back from the Thanksgiving holiday break. Scrimmages can begin as of December 12. The first day for games that count will be January 2. Wildcats Soccer Coach Alexi Upton was the guest on KSST Radio and Cable Channel 18’s Saturday Morning Coaches Show Saturday (November 16). With an earlier date than usual for scrimmages, Coach Upton says he has set up four this year. The Wildcats scrimmage Mount Pleasant Chapel Hill, Sabine and Mineola at home on December 14, Paris on December 17 at home, North Mesquite and Rowlett at North Mesquite on December 27 and the always popular Alumni Scrimmage on December 28. Coach Upton is very excited about the Wildcats regular season opening tournament. He says the Frisco ISD Tournament beginning January 2 is perhaps the biggest and he says it is loaded with powerhouses. Coach Upton explains you have to be accepted and he says the Wildcats were on a waiting list for 7 or 8 months. He says he believes a team only gets better by playing tough opponents. The Wildcats are in a pool with two Amarillo teams and McKinney North. Coach Upton says none of these teams lost more than 6 games last year. He says he has a new assistant coach this year, Salvador Mejia. Coach Upton says Mejia is working to make the Wildcats stronger and more physical. He says he lost four valuable seniors: Andrew Escobar, Enrique Arellano, Alexis Escobedo and Daniel Moreno. But he says everyone else returns including some help from the JV team. Coach Upton is solid in goal with returners Noe Ponce and Eleazar Brena. He has two good attacking forwards in Omar Hernandez and Alejandro Diosdado. Solid center back defender David Moreno returns. Coach Upton also mentions Bryant Sanchez, Jose Salazar and track distance runners Nabian Ramirez and Ricardo Torres. He says once again Mount Pleasant will be the district team to beat. He says Greenville and Royse City and to a slightly lesser degree Lindale, lost a lot of talented players. Texas High could be a sleeping giant awaking at any time. Coach Upton sees the Wildcats right in the middle of things.
Lady Cats Basketball Coach Brittney Tisdell is Pleased with Bells Tourney Showing
Lady Cats Basketball Coach Brittney Tisdell says 2-2 is not bad in the Bells Tournament. The Lady Cats lost to #23 ranked 3A Pottsboro, eked out a one-point win over Cooper, lost a close game to Aubrey and then topped Whiteboro by ten points in a battle of very tired teams. The tournament took place last Thursday through Saturday (November 14-16). Actually Coach Tisdell says she thought her team should have won three of four. In a tightly called game against a good Aubrey team, Coach Tisdell noted that Lady Cats high scoring freshman Kenzie Willis got into foul trouble. Willis missed a third quarter in which the Lady Cats scored 2 points. Coach Tisdell says she saw a lot of improvement by her team during the tournament. She says the Lady Cats played their best game of the year in the 4 point loss to Aubrey. Coach Tisdell says the Lady Cats still have a lot of things to improve on. She likes that she has four practice days in the gym before the Lady Cats next game at Paris Friday night. Coach Tisdell says the Lady Cats and Paris game will feature two young teams.
Coach Cipoletta Says Wildcats Found a Way to Win Season Opener in OT
Wildcats Basketball Coach Clark Cipoletta says he feels grateful that things went the Wildcats’ way in overtime in a 73-71 win over Decatur Saturday (November 16) in the Cowtown Showdown at North Crowley. He says it was just like last year when the Wildcats always seemed to find a way to win those games that went right down to the wire. Coach Cipoletta says he has a team of guys who hate to lose. He says the Wildcats battled and persevered. He says the Wildcats work in practice on scenarios for the end of tight games but he says there is nothing better than actually going through it during a real game. Coach Cipoletta has nothing but praise for Decatur, the #7 ranked team in Class 4A. The Wildcats are ranked #5 in Class 5A. Day Day Hall led the Wildcats with 31 points,16 rebounds, 7 blocks and 6 assists. Coach Cipoletta says Hall actually got off to a slow start in the first half missing some close to the basket shots. Coach Cipoletta says Hall might have scored 50 or 55 points if he had hit earlier shots. He says Hall did put the team on his back in the third and fourth quarters. Coach Cipoletta says Hall was also 3 of 7 from three-point range. He says Hall also dominated the glass and was unselfish passing to his teammates. Coach Cipoletta says Cameron Kahn played big with 18 points and 15 rebounds. He says junior Boo Wilkerson actually kept the Wildcats in the game during the first half hitting 4 of 7 from behind the arch. Wilkerson scored 16 points. Coach Cipoletta says Wilkerson also did his best Jeremiah Roland imitation as the team’s defensive stopper. He says Boo really put the clamps on one of Decatur’s best scorers. The Wildcats are now 3-0 over the last three season’s in the Cowtown Showdown showcase. Coach Cipoletta says he’s grateful the Wildcats keep getting invited. The Wildcats JV also won their game in the showcase hitting a shot at the buzzer. The Wildcats play their second game of the season against Pleasant Grove Tuesday night at home in the Main Gym at SSHS.
