National Emergency Preparedness Month Part 3:City, County a Team
Effects of heavy rainfall across parts of the county had already awakened first responders early on Friday with reports of rising water and stalled vehicles in the usual areas prone to flooding. Thus, Sulphur Springs Police Chief Jason Ricketson, Hopkins County Fire Chief Andy Endsley and Assistant Emergency Coordinator Kristi Springfield were already on the job on September 20, 2019 before arriving at KSST for a Good Morning Show interview. “Not everyplace enjoys the co-operation from within, that Hopkins County first response teams receive here where we live. From the City and the county law enforcement, to fire and to emergency medical services, we are all a team which works together willingly and smoothly, no matter the need. It might be weather-related, like today, but it’s not always weather. And it doesn’t always happen between 8 and 5! We communicate well, we are trained, and everybody does their job professionally. Local citizens know this and may take it for granted, but the truth is that our community is very blessed to be above the norm in this way”, stated Chief Ricketson.
Fire Chief Endlsey echoed Ricketson’s words, saying “We work well together, and everyone contributes their part according to the protocol of the emergency. Hopkins County and Sulphur Springs have plans in place for almost any emergency you can think of, and these plans can be implemented immediately if and when a disaster situation should take place, or when a situation becomes something we need help to control. My department is responsible for the people and families who live in the small communities as well as the incorporated cities inside the county, such as Cumby, Como and Tira, but we coordinate with the City when needed. Thankfully we haven’t had a major emergency here, but if we did and needed additional help , the State Emergency Management team would be activated, and assistance would arrive quickly from anywhere in the State and even from other states”.
Assistant Co-ordinator Springfield brought up that the public’s safety is ensured during the normal weekly gatherings on Celebration Plaza, at the Friday night football games in the stadium, during holiday parades on the streets, or any number of other community events. “We ensure the public’s safety by the use of a plan. One of the largest events in Hopkins County is coming up soon, during the 50th Anniversary of the World Championship Hopkins County Stew Contest. We expect up to 10,000 people in town and on the grounds for that event. We have a plan in place to ensure the public’s safety, and steps to be followed in case that safety becomes threatened. We are familiar with protocol in any number of scenarios. That’s what we were trained for and what each of us agreed to do when we took on the job”.
Springfield chose her career early, becoming certified for EMS as a senior at SSHS. She then pursued a career in Emergency Management, now with 17 years experience. Jason Ricketson’s father was a Game Warden and his mother was Sulphur Springs City Secretary for many years. His interest in serving led him to become a firefighter with the Brinker Volunteer unit before pursuing a career in law enforcement. He has 23 years experience serving his community. Ricketson’s office also employs City of Sulphur Springs Assistant Emergency Management Coordinator David James, who brings valued experience to his appointment. Chief Endsley brings more than 30 years experience, begun when he entered Fire service after high school as a volunteer in Cass County. He attended the Fire Academy in 1989, and feels it is an honor to be serving in Hopkins County.
Part Four, the final of the National Emergency Preparation Month series, can be heard on Friday September 27, 2019 at 8:15am on KSST Radio and Cable Channel 18 TV.
Sulphur Bluff JV and Varsity Volleyball Teams Win at Rivercrest Tuesday
The Sulphur Bluff Lady Bears Varsity and JV teams won matches at Rivercrest Tuesday (September 17). Head Volleyball Coach Zandra Peyton said the Lady Bears Varsity played great. She said they had a little trouble getting the ball to the target in each set but played together to make plays. Coach Peyton said the Lady Bears did a good job of hitting the ball to locations that took Rivercrest out of their system, The Lady Bears won 3-1 by the score of 25-23, 25-21, 21-25 and 25-20. Hannah Byrd led Sulphur Bluff with 15 service points. Coach Peyton said Rivercrest actually called time out twice during one of Byrd’s long runs of serve. Skylar Stanley had 10 kills and 2 blocks. Alley Collett had 8 service points, 28 assists and 2 blocks. Dalena Wilkins had 3 service points, 6 kills and one block. Ann Dorner had 11 service points and 7 kills. Cierra Johnson had 2 service points and 3 kills. Angel Brown had 4 service points. Tori Raine had 2 service points and 4 kills. Jada Wade had 2 kills. The Sulphur Bluff JV won over Rivercrest, 2-1. They lost the first set 18-25 but then rallied to win the match, 25-22 and 25-21. For the Sulphur Bluff JV, Lydia Drummond led the team with 9 kills and 12 service points with zero serving errors and solid passing in all three sets. Taylor Wallis had 9 service points and 2 kills while also leading the team in assists. Bailey Neal had 3 kills and 8 service points. Molly Kelley had 5 service points and 4 assists. Allie Eason had 2 service points and 4 kills. Destiny Johnson had 4 service points. Jasmin Wade and Kennedy Lambert had one kill each.
Wildcats Football JV and Freshmen Teams Play Thursday Night
For those who just can’t wait until Friday night for football, I give you Thursday (September 19) night lights. Actually these games start early enough that they may be done before the sun goes down. The Wildcats JV will be playing the Royse City JV this evening at Royse City. Game time is at 6 p.m. Meanwhile at Gerald Prim Stadium, the Bulldogs freshmen team will be taking on the Wildcats freshmen. Game time is also at 6 p.m. The Sulphur Springs Middle School Seventh Grade will have intramurals on Saturday morning at 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. at The Prim.
Royse City Football Coach David Petroff is in His Seventh Year as Bulldogs Head Coach
David Petroff is the Head Football Coach of the Royse City Bulldogs, who the Wildcats play Friday night (September 20) on Homecoming at Gerald Prim Stadium. Petroff is in the seventh year in Royse City. It’s his first head coaching job. Previously he was defensive coordinator at Waco Midway and was an assistant at Frisco High School. The Bulldogs are off to a 2-0 start this season with non-district wins over Frisco Centennial and Garland. Royse City had a bye last week. Coach Petroff said the Bulldogs have been much improved this season on offense. He said they have a lot of returners on the offensive side this year. The rock solid Bulldogs defense is led by senior nose guard Jamie Cortez, the district Defensive MVP last year. Coach Petroff said some inside and outside linebackers return along with two defensive ends that played a lot last year. He said one reason for Royse City’s improved offense this season is that the offensive line has been healthier. They did lose their center during a scrimmage but Coach Petroff said several other players stepped up. He said both his starting quarterback and top two running backs played all last year and are back. Royse City is much improved throwing the ball this year. Coach Petroff said he had good receivers on sub varsity teams last year plus the Bulldogs got a quality receiver who moved in from Lancaster. Coach Petroff’s son, Peyton, now plays the F back position for the Bulldogs and he is moved all over the field. Concerning Sulphur Springs, Coach Petroff said the first thing that jumps out at him are the two Wildcats running backs. He said he knows quarterback Kaden Wallace can run since he won a 200 meter dash race last year. Coach Petroff also noticed big offensive linemen Alfredo Olavide and Ryan Hammonds. He said looking at the Wildcats defensive formation was like looking in a mirror.
Operation Restore: A Good Step Has Been Made at Mel Haven Cemetery
Mel Haven Cemetery is an important part of local history in Hopkins County, and efforts launched on a recent clean-up day has sparked an encouraging start to restoration of the property. Located next to Sulphur Springs City Cemetery, Mel Haven has been the final resting place of scores of black Americans since before 1900. Records located at the Hopkins County Genealogical Library show that the land was donated to the ‘colored people of Sulphur Springs’ in 1889 by C. M. Houston, and that it was called ‘colored city cemetery’ until it’s name was changed in 1931. The Debord family had donated the road that goes to Mel Haven cemetery, and it is named DeBord Street. In 1985 the Pogue family donated more land to Mel Haven. Rhonda Bechhold, a local genealogical researcher who has done extensive personal research in the cemetery in 2019 has documented 1,140 grave sites with 550 of these having a grave marker with a burial date. Sadly, many of the burial sites are quite dim and even overgrown by encroaching brush, making it difficult to get to the graves. By contrast, there are many well-tended gravesites and family plots in Mel Haven Cemetery, with the upkeep done mostly on an individual basis by family members. The “Wreaths Across America” project carried out by Dena and Jimmy Loyd in December 2018 brought an overall cleanup of visible graves, with a laying of a wreath on each veteran’s grave which could be located.
Over past decades, members of the Mel Haven Cemetery Society have expended much effort and loving care to keep the cemetery clean and in repair. However today, much of the membership has aged and many are no longer able to undertake the physical work necessary for regular clean-up days. This was one of the reasons behind the formation of Operation Restore and the workday scheduled for Saturday September 14, 2019.
That morning, more than four dozen volunteers appeared with tools and equipment to clean and trim the grounds, re-position fallen stones and in general, to show respect and loving care for all the graves in the cemetery. Large sections of overgrown brush was trimmed back, revealing gravesites that had not been touched in years. Some trees were removed to halt further root damage on the grounds. Fallen limbs and debris were gathered to be hauled off. Family plots were cleaned and new flowers placed. According to Ms. Bechhold, two sections were completely cleaned and eight graves discovered and documented. This summer, City of Sulphur Springs workers placed signs on both ways of Seventh Street that say ‘Mel Haven Cemetery’ with arrows pointing to the turn onto DeBord Street. “There’s still a lot of work to do. And it’s time for a younger generation to step up and take responsibility for the condition of Mel Haven Cemetery, and to prepare for it’s future upkeep” stated one of the cleanup volunteers. Officers of the Mel Haven Cemetery Society are Chairman J.D. Franklin and Secretary Michelle Gasaway. Eddie Askew is a caretaker and Wilbert Roland is one of the remaining members. Jason Lindley and Ricky Godbolt are among community volunteers interested in the maintenance of the cemetery. According to Lindley, “we express a heartfelt thank you from the Mel Haven Cemetery Society and its volunteers for all the individuals that made this day possible. All those individuals that lifted prayers, made donations, whether it was tools, food, monetary donations, or even just your time. Thank you for the support from Hopkins County Commissioners, Hopkins County Genealogical Society, Hopkins County EMS, Sulphur Springs City Officials, Sulphur Springs Law Association, Masonic Columbia Lodge #81 and all of those who labored.
Tools for researching one’s ancestors are what the Hopkins County Genealogical Library offers free to the people of Hopkins County. Trained assistance is offered free by Genealogical Society members. In addition to library records on file and computer searches, the Genealogical Society also offers programs on the subject. Ms. Ari Wilkins, a researcher of black history, is the speaker on Thursday September 19, 2019 at 7pm at the Hopkins County Genealogical Library, located inside the Sulphur Springs Public Library at 611 North Davis Street. Guests are welcome to attend the meeting, and to make use of the library’s resources during it’s regular hours of operation. Find out more at hcgstx.org.
NETBIO Sale Results
NETBIO producers sell 4,634 head of cattle
Producers sold 4,634 head of pre-conditioned cattle at the September Northeast Texas Beef Improvement Organization (NETBIO) sale held Wednesday in the Sulphur Springs Livestock Commission auction market.
“We had a lot of good cattle consigned to the sale and there was a lot of interest from the buyers — both those at the sale and some buying over the Internet,” said David Fowler, co-owner of the livestock commission. He said a total of 1,181 head sold to buyers over the Internet.
“Producers continue to do a great job of pre-conditioning and getting their cattle ready for this sale,” Fowler said. He added that the market was good for these times and reflected the good quality of cattle and the pre-conditioning that producers offered for sale.
A total of 234 producers (NETBIO members) sold cattle at the sale. Nineteen buyers purchased all the cattle at an average of $786.73 per head. The demand was very good for all weights of cattle,
Fowler said one feed yard in Kansas purchased 1,439 head of the pre-conditioned calves and yearlings. Most of the cattle purchased over the Internet went to two feed yards in the Texas Panhandle. The light cattle, Fowler added, were purchased to go west for grazing and finishing. A buyer from California was on hand at the auction market to purchase 145 head of calves that went to a Kansas feed yard.
The NETBIO Stocker and Feeder Calf Sale is the marketing arm for members of the organization and gives producers a place to offer their pre-conditioned calves and yearlings for sale in load lot quantities. NETBIO conducts eight of these pre-conditioned calf sales per year, all at the Sulphur Springs Livestock Commission.
Two more sales are scheduled this year. The next NETBIO sale will be held on Wednesday, October 16. It will be followed by the November Anniversary Sale that will take place on Nov. 20. All the sales begin at 1 p.m. Consignment books are open for both these remaining sales.
Producers can call the Livestock Market at 885-2455 or stop by the exchange office.
All NETBIO auctions are broadcast on the Internet via LMA Auctions.com. Internet buyers should register in advance in order to bid.
September 28 Pancake Fundraiser Will Benefit Childhood Cancer Victims
Brent Smith, a Hopkins County first responder with EMS, is inviting others to join him in raising awareness of Childhood Pediatric Cancer through a fundraiser planned by SSHS HOSA students. The project by these students, who are future health professionals, will be earmarked for their goal of donating needed items to the Ronald McDonald House in Dallas. Proceeds from the pancake fundraiser will also be used to assist local children and their families who have been affected by childhood cancer. The event is Saturday morning September 28, 2019 at Heritage Park, 416 North Jackson Street, from 7:30 am til 10:30 am. Cost is $5 adult and $2 child, for all you can eat pancakes and fixins.
Cumby City Council To Appoint New Member, Consider Budget and Tax Rate
The Cumby City Council has posted notification of a Special Meeting Agenda to be held Saturday, September 21st at 9:00am. The City Council must appoint a new member to fill a recent vacancy as the result of a resignation. The remaining members must consider an appointment of a resident of Cumby, and if so appointed, that person will immediately be sworn in to the Alderman Place 2 position on the Cumby City Council. The council must then consider and approve their budget as well as consider and approve their tax rate for the rapidly approaching fiscal year.
