Greenville, Pittsburg Women Jailed On Felony Warrants
Two women were jailed Monday after turning themselves in to sheriff’s deputies on felony warrants.
Skye Lynn Hargett, 28, of Greenville turned herself in at 9:28 a.m. Monday. Deputies escorted her into the jail on a on the warrant for violation of probation, which she was on for possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance, according to arrest and jail reports.
Jacqueline Deann Blalock, 35, of Pittsburg was jailed jailed on a warrant violation of probation, which she was on for possession of 4 grams or more but less than 200 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance, according to arrest and jail reports.
58 Indictments Signed By Hopkins County Grand Jury
July 1, 2019 – The Hopkins County Grand Jury during the June 28 session signed 58 indictments. At least 40 people were named in the charges.
Offenses ranged from aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, assault of a family or household member that impeded breathing or circulation an d hindering apprehension or prosecution of a known felon to driving while intoxicated with a child under 15 years of age in the vehicle, engaging in organized criminal activity, evading arrest or detention with a vehicle to tampering with evidence, unauthorized use of vehicles and controlled substance charges.
In some cases more than one individual was accused of participating in an offense, and at least six people were named in more than one indictment.
Laura Ruth Alsobrook and Aaron Michael Krahn were indicted during the June session on an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge. Alsobrook was arrested Nov. 30 after she allegedly confessed to driving a vehicle when it dragged and ran over 20-year-old Michael Calderon, who a police officer reportedly found lying face down in the 300 block of Helm Lane, shortly after 9 p.m. Nov. 29. Krahn is alleged by officials to have been in the vehicle with Alsobrook at the time.
Calderon was reported by police to be unresponsive, with blood coming from his mouth and nose when an officer found him, Sulphur Springs police alleged in reports following Alsobrook’s arrest. Calderon was transported from the crash site to CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital Sulphur Springs, then to an area trauma center in critical condition, according to police investigators.
Police officers, during the course of their investigation, received information that Calderon was “attempting to purchase narcotics from a male” when he was struck by the vehicle, police alleged in arrest reports.
James Wesley Whitworth of Sulphur Springs was indicted for assault of a family or household member that impeded breathing or circulation. Whitworth, 39, was arrested May 10 for allegedly choking his girlfriend during an altercation. Police reported injuries on the girlfriend supported the description given to police regarding the alleged Houston Street assault. Whitworth remained in the county jail Monday on the charge, according to jail reports.
Andrew Ray Williams of Bonham and Stefan Anderson Neal of Greenville were indicted for evading arrest or detention with a vehicle. The pair was arrested April 30 for allegedly leaving a minor two-vehicle crash on State Highway 19 south near FM 1567 west without exchanging information with the other motorist, then and leading authorities on a high speed chase on FM 2297 from Birch Creek to the Wildcat Way-League Street intersection, where their vehicle crashed into another vehicle, then a tree on League Street, according to arrest reports. The pair reportedly then fled on foot. The driver was caught trying to jump a fence and the other man was caught after crossing a pasture and I-30, officers alleged in arrest reports. Neal, 26 at the time of his arrest, was released from the county jail on bond on May 1. Williams, 19 at the time of his arrest, remained in jail Monday, according to jail reports.
Manuel Arrendondo-Molina and Christina Eleen Flynn, both of Greenville, were each indicted for unauthorized use of a vehicle, possession of 4 grams or more but less than 200 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence with intent to impair. The pair was reportedly stopped on Interstate 30 early April 21 for an equipment violation. Before they stopped the deputy reported seeing an object thrown out. Officers allegedly found in the area a make-up style bag containing a hypodermic needle with a substance believed to be methamphetamine that weighed 2.54 grams in it, a scale, small bags, and a clear bag containing a crystal-like substance that field-tested positive as methamphetamine and weighed 11.01 grams. A records check showed the truck had been reported to Greenville Police Department as stolen, officers alleged in arrest reports. Arrendonodo-Molina, 22 at the time of his arrest, was released from jail on bond April 28; Flynn, 23, at the time of her arrest, remained in the county jail Monday, according to jail reports.
Jumierquai Doverieay Davison, Clarence Ofield III and Kelley Waterhouse, all of Sulphur Springs, were indicted for engaging in organized criminal activity. The three were arrested in connection with a rash of vehicle burglaries and a car theft case reported April 12-13. Davison, 17, was arrested April 17 and released from jail April 18. Ofield, 17, and Waterhouse, 18, were arrested April 16. Ofield was released from jail May 30; Waterhouse remained in the county jail Monday, according to jail reports. A 15-year-old reportedly connected to the investigation was also taken into custody as a runaway, police investigators said following the arrests.
Francisco A. Guillen-Campos and Mary Wooten, both of Arkansas, were indicted for tampering with or fabricating physical evidence with intent to impair and possession of 400 grams or more of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance. Guillen-Campos was also indicted for evading arrest or detention with a vehicle. The pair was accused of throwing more than 13 pounds of suspected methamphetamine out a car window, while trying to evade police on Interstate 30 and Shannon Road. Officers recovered what was reported to be at least three 1-gallon Ziplock bags and two other baggies with a crystal-like substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine, police reports noted. Wooten and Guillen-Campos, 28 and 21 when arrested April 12, remained in the county jail July 1, 2019, according to jail reports.
Dustin James Spieldenner, 26, of Dekalb was indicted on two possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance charges. He was allegedly found passed out in a running GMC Envoy parked in the middle of U.S. Highway 67 west at FM 2653 south April 6. The man did not awaken for deputies, who alleged they could see a syringe next to him and noted what appeared to be fresh track marks from a syringe injection. When the man still did not respond, the deputies reported, they notified EMS and broke a window on the Envoy to gain access to the man. He was breathing and finally awakened, but had trouble staying awake. A search of the vehicle yielded a black tar substance believed to be heroin and a white substance they believed to be cocaine, deputies alleged in arrest reports. Spieldenner was reportedly treated at the hospital for a possible overdose then transported to jail, according to arrest reports. He remained in the county jail Friday.
Scotty Ray Price was indicted for assault of a family or household member by impeding circulation or breathing. He was accused of assaulting his girlfriend by punching her in the face and body numerous times, and placing her in a choke hold, which impeded her breathing, police wrote in arrest reports. He allegedly admitted to putting the woman in choke hold. The woman had numerous injuries, police alleged at the time of his arrest. The 36-year-old Sulphur Springs man was arrested May 26 and released from jail May 28, according to jail reports.
Denzel Dredon Jackson, 29, of Plano was indicted June 28 for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. According to jail reports, Jackson was taken into custody Friday, June 27, on an aggravated assault warrant and remained in the county jail July 1, according to jail reports.
Matthew William West, 35, of Sulphur Springs was indicted for driving while intoxicated with a child under 15 years of age in the vehicle at the time. His wife and two children, ages 7 and 9, were with him in the truck with him when he was stopped June 15 for failure to signal a lane change. Officers alleged alcohol could be smelled on him; he failed all standard field sobriety tests administered and performed 0.120 and 0.117, both well over the legal 0.08 limit for breath tests, police alleged at the time of his arrest. He was released from jail two days later on bond, according to jail reports.
Filadelfo Ramirez-Hernandez was indicted in June for aggravated assault of a date, family or household member with a weapon. He was arrested May 17 on a warrant for the charge and remained in the county jail Monday, July 1, 2019.
Garrett Mahew Bursby, 23, of Brashear was indicted for failure to comply with sex offender’s duty to register. A sheriff’s investigator said authorities were first alerted to Garrett Mahew Bursby, after he was reportedly seen April 26 during regular school hours at a county school, where he was thought not to have checked in with school officials. On further investigation, Bursby was found not to have complied with terms for him to register with authorities as a sex offender as required, which resulted in a warrant being issued for his arrest, the investigator reported at the time of Bursby’s arrest. Bursby has remained in local custody since his arrest May 22, according to jail reports.
Patrick Deshaun Holman, 23, of Frisco was indicted for theft of a firearm. He was reportedly a passenger in a vehicle stopped by police on Interstate 30 for a traffic violation late May 29. A records check showed a gun found in the car had been reported stolen, police alleged in arrest reports. He was released from jail later May 30 on bond, according to jail reports.
Timothy Alan Goss, 48, of Sulphur Springs was indicted for theft of property valued at less than 2,500, but because he has two previous convictions, the charge was enhanced to a felony offense. Sheriff’s deputies responded May 26 on County Road 1100 to a tip that a stolen chainsaw could be located there. Goss was in a pickup there. He reportedly told deputies a chainsaw being used by another man belonged to the victim. He agreed to let the deputies search a truck. They allegedly found 12.97 grams of suspected methamphetamine in it, resulting in his arrest for possessing the controlled substance and theft of property valued at less than $2,500 with two or more prior convictions, according to arrest reports. He remained in the county jail July 1, according to jail reports.
Christopher Don Williams was indicted for manufacture or delivery of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance, manufacture or delivery of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance and possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance. He was arrested April 24 and remained in custody Monday, according to jail reports.
Kimberly Dawn Tubb, Kyla Renee Wright-Finklea, Alice Rachelle Yarbrough and Chrisandra Watson Yarbrough were all indicted for hindering apprehension or prosecution of a known felon.
Mazeke Adrian Carruth was indicted for possession of 5 pound or more but less than 50 pounds of marijuana.
The remainder of the indictments were for controlled substance charges. Among those accused in the June 28 Grand Jury session of controlled substance offenses were:
- Benjamin James Cowing, Thea Colynn Patterson, Jazzmin Shonta Hall, Daniel Joseph Nicholson, Donald James Farris and Ashley Renea Young — possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance;
- Nathan Aaron Potter — possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance in a drug-free zone;
- Richard Leon Howell and Mark Alan Tutton — possession of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance;
- Jessica Nicole Allen and Colton Heath Golightly — possession of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance in a drug-free zone;
- Olgegario Cantu Arizmendez — possession of 4 grams or more but less than 200 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance; and
- Jose Luis Rodriguez — possession of 4 grams or more but less than 400 grams of a Penalty Group 2 controlled substance.
City Council Expected to Call Special Election; Consider Approving Tire, 2 Rezoning Ordinances Tuesday
Sulphur Springs City Council during their regular meeting Tuesday night are scheduled to discuss and consider five ordinances, at least three resolutions, award bids for contract work on Connally Street, and discuss
Special Election
The Council will be asked to approve Resolution 1171 calling for a special election on Nov. 5, to allow the Sulphur Springs/Hopkins County Economic Development Corporation to use the sales and use taxes, including any previously collected for specific categories of project that qualify under Section 4B of Texas Development Corporation Act, for construction and maintenance of park facilities.
Essentially, Sulphur Springs City Manager Marc Maxwell said, the election would allow the city to use 4A EDC tax money for a 4B tax purpose, to help fund improvements at Pacific Park and to construct a new Senior Citizens Center.
Maxwell said the city in 1999 took the same option to the voters, to provide $150,000 in 4A EDC funding coming to the city to be used for 4B purposes, specifically construction of Coleman Park. The city took out bonds, paid using the annual EDC funding; this is the last year of payment on that note.
City officials are proposing taking the same motion to the taxpayers, asking to be able to utilize about $200,000 a year for 20 years to pay a new note, which would be used for Pacific Park improvements identified during a charrette and to build a new Senior Citizens Center, Maxwell said.
“Let’s do it again, only this time let’s ask voters if they want to approve $200,000 a year. It’s a greater amount, but it’s a lesser percentage of EDC revenues, because the EDC revenues have double in those 20 years. Let’s use that to sell $3 million worth of bonds,” Maxwell said.
Connally Street
The City Council too will be asked to consider the bids and award a contract for the Connally Street excavation, stabilization and concrete pavement.
Tire Ordinance
The City Council, during the July 2 meeting, also will hear on second and final reading an ordinance calling for regulations of local tire businesses.
The language in the ordinance has been modified slightly since the June meeting, when Ordinance 2746 was first read, according to Maxwell.
“We’re going to treat all tires, whether they are old or scrap, the same in two regards. One, they all have to be hidden from public view. Two, they all have to be covered so rain water cannot get on the tires; that’s how the mosquito problems occurred. And, we’re also going to give existing businesses 6 months to come into compliance,” Maxwell said.
Also, the way the ordinance was proposed earlier this month, tire businesses will only be allowed to keep 500 old or scrap tires on-site, the city manager said.
Rezoning Ordinances
Ordinances 2747 and 2748 would rezone the 117.33-acre Heritage Business Park and the 103.06-acre Pioneer Business Park to heavy industrial zones. The complexes were zoned agricultural when annexed by the city in recent months. This would allow them to be heavy commercial. The ordinance will be read for the first time at Tuesday’s council meeting.
Ordinance Amendments
Two additional ordinances are slated to be read for the first time Tuesday as well. One would amend the fee schedule for Community Development to comply with House Bill 852, while another would amend the ordinance to clarify the definition of travel centers and truck stop centers.
Document Resolutions
Two additional resolutions would allow the city manager to execute documents related to a federal grant project presented by Texas Department of Transportation for airport improvements and as well as a master agreement with Enterprise Fleet Management to finance and manage the replacement of the city’s fleet.
Executive Session
The regular meeting of Sulphur Springs City Council will begin at 7 p.m. in the Council Room at City Hall, located at 201 North Davis Street. However, the city officials are scheduled to meet at 6:30 p.m. in executive session to consult with an attorney regarding pending or contemplative litigation.
During the regular meeting, the council then will have the option of discussing and taking action on the executive session item which may include Resolution No. 1174,” according to the agenda.
TODAY’S GAME BETWEEN RANGERS AND ANGELS POSTPONED
Arlington, Texas — Tonight’s scheduled game between the Los Angeles Angels and Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington has been postponed due to the tragic passing of Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs.
The Texas Rangers organization wants to express its deepest sympathies to the family of Tyler Skaggs and to the entire Angels organization on this shocking loss. The thoughts and prayers of every member of the Texas Rangersand all of their fans are with the Angels organization at this difficult time.
Tonight’s game will be made up at a date to be determined.
Cybersecurity Degree Program at PJC
PJC offering new Cybersecurity degree this fall
People are increasingly integrating technology into their lives, including through online shopping or bringing the Internet of Things coming into homes. Every 39 seconds a cyber-attack happens to individuals, small businesses, corporations, and governments. To respond for the all-time high demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals, Paris Junior College is offering a new program in Cybersecurity beginning with the fall semester.
PJC Computer Information Systems Instructor Cedric Crawford and Computer Networking Instructor Marjorie Pannell developed the curriculum for both a 48-hour Cybersecurity certificate and a 60-hour Associate of Applied Science Degree in Cybersecurity. The instructors say that cybersecurity experts are extremely well compensated for their skills and talents while making the world a safer place. “Technology has no doubt improved our lives for the better,” said Crawford, “but our increasing dependency on technology has now made cybersecurity a problem for everyone.” According to Intel, an American multinational corporation and technology company, there will be approximately two hundred billion devices connected to the internet by 2020. That’s 26 smart objects for every human on earth. Banking, shopping, and even doctor visits are being conducted online. In 2018, approximately 1.8 billion consumers made online purchases. “When Congressman John Ratcliffe visited our campus a couple of years ago,” said PJC President Dr. Pam Anglin, “he encouraged me to add a cybersecurity program to help meet our national skills shortage. We immediately began sending current staff to cybersecurity conferences and searched for an instructor to teach in our program. The result is the new cybersecurity program starting this fall with both a certificate and an associate degree.” The scarcity of cybersecurity professionals is a crisis itself. This shortage of skilled workers costs companies millions of dollars and placing national security at risk to advanced cyber-attacks.
“Incidents of cybercrime have overtaken traditional crime,” said Pannell. “Students with a degree in cybersecurity will be in demand for as long as the Internet is around. You will never be bored with a career in cybersecurity. You will always have new challenges, situations and opportunities while learning new skills and new technologies.”
The U.S. Department of Labor expects job growth for Information Security Analyst to grow at 28 percent through 2026, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. Registration for the fall semester is going on now at PJC, with classes starting August 26. For those too busy to enroll during the week, PJC locations in Paris, Greenville and Sulphur Springs will be open for Saturday registration from 10 a.m. to noon on August 3, 10 and 17. To learn more call 903-782-0425 or go to www.parisjc.edu.
Commissioners Court Approves Security Updates, Hazardous Mitigation Engineers
Hopkins County Commissioner Court Monday morning scored and selected from the two proposals a hazardous mitigation engineering service provider, a county road inventory, appointed a representative to the Workforce Development Board and approved a security group to install new security upgrades at the new county buildings.
The court held a special 8:30 a.m. work session Monday to open and grade potential engineering service providers to the Texas Hazardous Mitigation Program. The county received two proposals, one from Hayes Engineering which earned just shy of 500 points and one from MTG, which received 584 points.
The court, at the recommendation of the county auditor, adopted a resolution designating MTG as the engineering service provider for the Texas Hazardous Mitigation Assistance Program application and project-related engineering services during their regular court session later Monday morning. The county officials said the work would be on roads in two precincts.
The court also appointed Andrew Mendezona to the local Workforce Development Board. Mendezona was “recommended highly” to serve on the board, which Newsom said is “part of the success of Hopkins County and Northeast Texas.” The judge said the unemployment rate last month was 2.6 percent,” the lowest Newsom can recall. The board consists of 20 people from nine counties in Northeast Texas. Newsom said based on the reports he’s received and the meetings he’s attended, accounts are that Northeast Texas is doing well, as far as employment statistics go, but Hopkins County is “doing better.”
Commissioners approved a contract with Firetrol Protection Systems Inc. to install at the new District Court building, and new District Attorney and Clerk’s Offices for $24,988 security systems that can be monitored at the sheriff’s office.
The county emergency officials were asked to evaluate security systems. Then, the sheriff and his staff recommended having a system that can be monitored by county staff. This would cut out the need for a third party that’d be contacted if a security alarm is triggered, then alert the county officials. This would mean a quicker response time, officials pointed out.
In other business during the regular commissioners court session, Kristy Springfield was recognized for completing Level 3 CJIS Security Training of the Criminal Justice Information System Security and Awareness Training.
Newsom noted the commissioners court would meet again on July 15 and July 29, to work with elected officials and other county employees to develop a 2019-20 budget, with the goal of having a proposal ready by the end of July or first of August.
Week Four Of The Edge Gets Underway Monday Morning
The six-week Edge conditioning program entered week number four Monday morning, July 1, at the Sulphur Springs High School Multipurpose Building.
Despite July 4 coming up Thursday, this will be a complete week of The Edge, including on Thursday the fourth. The Edge will wrap up at around noon Thursday and Wildcats Football Coach Greg Owens notes that most 4th of July activities happen in the evening.
There will be an abbreviated two-day Edge next week. The UIL has declared July 9-10 as dead days and athletes are not allowed in athletic facilities on those days.
The last week of The Edge, during the week beginning July 15, will be another full week wrapping up on Thursday, July 18.
Coach Owens estimates that including athletes doing skill work in their sport as well as Edge athletes, about 200 boys and girls are involved at the school each day.
Old Coal Mine Property Another Step Closer To Becoming City Property
Hopkins County Commissioners Court Monday morning during their regular session approved an order releasing TXU Mining Company LP and Luminant Mining Company LLC from the businesses’ obligation to restore two county roads as agreed upon in previous court orders.
Basically, the Commissioners Court allowed the mine to close or relocate County Road 2307 and County Road 2309 in January 2000 and September 2007 and July 2010. However, the mine company in the documents, agreed to build new or restore the roads within two years of all mining and reclamation.
The City of Sulphur Springs asked the county to make the change to the TXU/Luminant agreement with the knowledge that the city will be annexing the property upon completion of the transfer of the property to the city. The city limits already protrudes into the coal mine so the coal mine property can be annexed. Maxwell said the city has no intention to annex any other area around the mine, only the mining property, according to Sulphur Springs City Manager Marc Maxwell.
“We made some commitment to Luminant. One of those commitments is that we will get them out of their requirements to rebuild the county roads that they entered into with you. Since we’re going to annex it as soon as it become ours, the road will become our problem anyway. We would ask you to pass the order, letting them out of their responsibility on the date we gain possession of the property,” said Maxwell.
The city anticipates taking possession of the property by the end of the year, according to Maxwell. That’s contingent on three things: releasing Luminant of their commitment to rebuild the County Road 2309, which is almost located completely within the mine, and County Road 2307, which begins where Bill Bradford Road ends just past the overpass; amendment of the water rights; and getting the mining company out of their commitment to remove the overpass on FM 1870.
The city has already posted the notice and are awaiting the 21 days required for further action on the water rights commitment, according to Maxwell. The property has 21 ponds on it and water rights have to be given.
When they release those Lake Sulphur Springs and Coleman will be able to draw 2 inches to 1 foot from Lake Sulphur Springs to compensate for evaporation from the ponds, according to the city manager.
In recent negotiations, city officials expressed agreed to take over County Road 2307 from Interstate 30 back to the mine property, understanding that when there’s significant water due to rains, the road often is out of service or in need of repairs. Precinct 2 Commissioner Greg Anglin noted there’s a work order in for a culvert due to recent rains. Maxwell said that might be an area to consider utilizing mechanical concrete for improvements.
The city also has been in talks with Texas Department of Transportation officials for the state agency regarding who will take over care of the overpass; the city and TxDOT have a verbal agreement are awaiting a written document on the matter, Maxwell told the commissioners.
With completion of the transfer of the property from the company to the city, the city would still allow county officials access to a radio tower used for communications on the relinquished county road. Precinct 2 would also still be allowed to dig sand from a specified area so long as the sand lasts, Maxwell assured Anglin.
