The Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce Now at Home, Downtown
According to Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Lezley Brown and Chamber Vice President Logan Vaughan, the new offices are ‘in a whirl’ of preparations for the annual World Champion Hopkins County Stew Cook-off’s special 50th Anniversary event! Their much anticipated move to new quarters at 110 Main Street has coincided with the final stages of the largest annual Chamber event of the year, and so it’s keeping their two-and-a-half paid employees very busy! Along with Lezley and Logan, long-time office manager Cathy Williams now puts in three days per week, Wednesday through Friday. Chamber board members and volunteer Ambassadors also fill in as needed to handle the rest of the duties. As Lezley put it, the phone is always ringing, and that’s good!
Logan Vaughn came on board this summer to assist Lezley in the mission of serving the business community; existing businesses and industries as well as the fledgling ‘baby businesses’ which can share the new building. Overall, about 2/3 of the 4,000 square feet of space inside 110 Main Street is devoted to the public offices of the Chamber of Commerce along with two conference rooms that can be reserved for use by Chamber members. The other 1/3 of the space houses four ‘incubator’ or start-up offices. As Lezley explained, “it’s long been our goal to assist existing business owners from small to large, but we felt we could do even more by assisting those newer ones which need professional office space but aren’t quite ready to take the plunge and be completely stand-alone. This way, these business people can utilize a private office space with internet, copier and conference room privileges for awhile as they cultivate their enterprise within a vibrant business locale, our downtown”.
Although it took several months longer to get into the new Chamber offices due to so much rainy weather in 2019, the staff is thrilled to have finally moved out of temporary quarters and opened their doors to the public. Lezley stated “it is also a welcoming headquarters for visitors and new residents, with an exciting view of Celebration Plaza. It’s our mission to promote better business and a better quality of life in Sulphur Springs and Hopkins County. And we want to be a place you feel welcome in, and hopefully, want to move here!”
Local residents are reminded that the 2019 “Stew Contest” is not only an draw for visitors, this year’s event will be a major one for families. Already, there’s a half-dozen family and school reunions planned on the stew grounds, and there’s room for more. Be sure and get a “stew site” by Friday September 13 and plan to host your own get together during Friday night October 25 and Saturday October 26 activities during the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the World Champion Hopkins County Stew Cook-off! Find out more on Facebook or contact hopkinschamber.org, phone 903-885-6515 or stop in at 110 Main Street, downtown.
Sulphur Springs ISD Board of Trustees To Hold Special Meeting On Friday, Aug. 23
A special meeting of Sulphur Springs Independent School District Board of Trustees has been called for noon Friday, Aug. 23, in the board room of SSISD Administration Building, 631 Connally St.
The agenda includes one report, one action item and an executive session.
District Business Manager Sherry McGraw is slated to talk about how an amendment to House Bill 3 of the 86th Legislature will impact school funding, particularly the Foundation School Program in the 2020 school year. It changes which taxable property values are to be used in calculating a district’s local share of of the FSP.
McGraw also will present for board consideration amendments to the budget for fiscal year 2018-19, which ends on Aug. 31. The board approved the 2019-2020 general fund, food and debt service budgets at their Aug. 12 meeting.
Trustees then are slated to enter into executive session to discuss any personnel or real property matters presented since the Aug. 12 meeting. The district has filled most openings in readiness for the 2019-2020 school year which began Tuesday for students.
The school district website shows an innovative learning design specialist is still needed for high school to replace Meredith Townsend, who resigned in July. Posted Aug. 8 was an opening for a Title 1 teacher’s aide at Travis Primary School, a position left open when Karina Perez switched from that job to academic specialist at Travis. The district website also shows an opening posted Aug. 12 for a special education teacher’s aide at Barbara Bush Primary School.
One real property matter still to be determined is the sale of the farm-style house built by high school students enrolled in construction career and technology courses the past two school years. The district held an open house to give anyone interested a chance to look at the house. The home is up for bid, per state school rules which required items over a certain dollar value be bid on instead of sold outright. Trustees were expected to select a winning bid at the Aug. 12 meeting. However, Assistant Superintendent Josh Williams reported the district received no acceptable bids for the house. Thus, the matter was tabled until a later time.
The 2019 Wildcat Football Team Pictures Are Here
Your 2019 Wildcat Football Team pictures have arrived! Take a moment to find your favorite player or players. The first game of the season is August 30th, 2019.
All photos courtesy of Sulphur Springs Photography here in Sulphur Springs.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Deputies Catch Burglar Inside Of SH 154 House
A suspicious person report resulted in deputies catching a burglary in progress at a residence south of Sulphur Springs Wednesday night.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Deputies Lance Burdick, Aaron Chaney, Jason Lavender and Cpl. Todd Evans were dispatched at 9:36 p.m. to a State Highway 154 south residence, where a man was reportedly using a flashlight inside of a vacant house and had the hood of a vehicle up in front of the house, according to sheriff’s reports.
Upon arrival, Burdick reported seeing the hood of a Jeep Caravan to be up and oil cans on the vehicle. He reportedly began looking for signs of entry around the house as he approached it.
Finding an open door, the deputy reportedly announced his presence before entering the house. As he did, Burdick reported seeing a man, identified in arrest reports as 20-year-old Justin Tyler Strahan of Yantis, inside the house. Strahan was detained pending further investigation of burglary, according to Burdick’s report.
The deputy, in arrest reports, stated he then contacted the caretaker for the property, who claimed the owner had not given anyone permission to be in the residence.
After being read his rights, Strahan allegedly admitted he didn’t have permission to be in the house. He claimed to have entered the house in an attempt to retrieve property belonging to him and a friend, and that he knew the tenants no longer resided at the address, Burdick alleged in arrest reports.
Chaney transported Strahan to jail, while Burdick waited on scene until the man’s vehicle was impounded. Strahan allegedly was unable to prove any of the property belonged to him or his friend. The Yantis man claimed he’d had a falling out with the former tenant and wanted to obtain his property so he entered the house without permission from the owner or caretaker, deputies alleged in arrest reports.
Strahan was charged with burglary of a habitation and booked into the county jail on the charge at 12:33 a.m. Aug. 22, according to arrest reports. He remained in the county jail late Thursday morning. Bond was set at $25,000 on the charge, according to jail reports.
Hopkins-Rains Retired School Personnel 50th Anniversary
Hopkins-Rains Retired School Personnel are hosting a 50th anniversary celebration on September 10th at Venue219 on Main Street in Sulphur Springs beginning at 10am. The organization was originally named the Sulphur Springs Area Retired School Personnel. The public is invited to the reception. Past Presidents and long-time members will be recognized at 10:30am and the TRTA State President, Patricia Macias will also speak for a few minutes.
Long-time Hopkins County residents may remember the names of founding members Price Walker, E.C. Brice, Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Banks, Mr. and Mrs. W.D. Gay, and Grace Minter. In 1969, thirty-eight retired teachers came together to form the unit with four primary purposes:
· To promote the welfare and social relationships of its members
· To advance the professional interests of public school teachers
· To safeguard the public school teachers’ retirement fund
· To aid civic and educational advancement in our community and our country
Past Presidents, among others include “Pinky” Griffin, Patsy Walters, Jerry and Elaine Haney, Jacqueline Brice, Mrs. Billie Phillips, Mrs Jo Ledbetter, and the parents of the current President, Tommy Long.
Hopkins County education retirees put $16.5 million directly into Hopkins County’s economy in 2018. Rains retirees contributed $5.7 million directly into Rains County’s economy in 2018 according to TRS. Together they had an indirect impact of $571.8 million in Upper East Texas according to research by The Perryman Group and funded by TRS.
You will see retirees volunteering at CanHelp, the Dinner Bell, Meal-a-Day and other causes throughout both counties. This unit volunteered 69,551 hours in 2018, adding an estimated value of $1,738,775 to Hopkins & Rains counties.
The unit donates books to elementary school students each year with the most recent benefactors being Rains County first graders. Books were delivered to first and second graders at Saltillo the previous year. To date, twenty-one graduating seniors from our area, who plan to pursue a degree in education have received a scholarship from Hopkins-Rains Retired School Personnel.
This unit’s parent organization, Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) was founded in 1953 after 65 retired Texas teachers attended a convention of the NATIONAL Retired Teachers Association in Miami, Florida. The mission of TRTA is to advocate for improved benefits for ALL education retirees and promote the well-being of its members. TRTA is composed of twenty districts and each district is made up of local units. Hopkins-Rains Retired School Personnel is one of seventeen local units in District 8. There are currently 94,000 TRTA members statewide.
Chamber Connection – Aug. 22, 2019
By Lezley Brown, president/CEO, Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce
The 50th Anniversary of Stew Contest will be here before we know it! Cooks have begun reserving their spots, and it’s going to be quite a celebration.
Just so you know, cook letters and entry forms have been mailed out. Your letter, if you cooked last year, should have arrived in the mail. However, if you need them, all forms are on our website at www.hopkinschamber.org, and we have them at the Chamber.
So, all of you cooks who have gone into retirement, I have a spot for you! I’d love for you to cook one more time in this 50th Anniversary! Sept.13 is the last day to enter and keep your stew site from 2018. All unreserved sites will be open to new cooks on Monday, Sept. 16, at 8 a.m.
We are also looking for judges for the Stew Contest. If you are interested in judging, please give us a call here at the Chamber, (903) 885-6515. This would be a great year to judge!
Every year, the Chamber allows a non-profit organization to sell drinks at the Stew Cook-off. There are several rules and regulations to follow, but if you are interested in placing your organization’s name in the hat, please call the Chamber. You will be asked to come in and sign an understanding agreement in regard to rules and expectations. Deadline for volunteers is Aug. 30. Once we have all our volunteers in place, we will literally pick one out of a hat and award drink sales to that organization. Please call if you have any questions.
The Chamber is excited to announce our vendor call for the Stew Fest Market! The Chamber is currently accepting vendors for the Stew Fest Market, which will be located on the south side of Buford Park during Friday night and Saturday Stew Contest activities. This is a great opportunity to sell goods or to promote your business to 7,000 people who attend the Stew Contest annually.
Vendors may rent booth space to sell goods or distribute information about their business. Booths will be assigned on a first-paid basis. Access to electricity is not guaranteed. Generators are permitted. Desserts may be sold, but no other food or drinks may be distributed. Vendors who are interested in purchasing booth space, call the Chamber of Commerce at (903) 885-6515.
We are more than halfway through the 4th Annual Chamber of Commerce Photography Contest! Let me review the basics. Anyone of any age can enter as we have a children’s category. The picture must be newer than Jan. 1, 2017 and must have been taken in Hopkins County. The contest will be open from Aug. 1 to Aug. 31.
There are seven categories you may enter: Natural World, Travel, People, The Hopkins County Experience, Altered Images, Mobile and Children’s Category. Only digital images are accepted (no prints).
To submit your photograph, email the picture to [email protected]. Rules and releases will be available on the Chamber of Commerce website. I cannot wait to see your beautiful photos!
Dixon & Dixon Insurance Ribbon Cutting
Dixon & Dixon Insurance is under new ownership and has scheduled a ribbon cutting celebration. It will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 4, at noon. Please make plans to join us at 322 Gilmer St. in Sulphur Springs.
Accents and Accessories has scheduled their ribbon cutting
Accents and Accessories, located at 8857 FM 17 north in Yantis, has scheduled their ribbon cutting celebration on Friday, Sept. 6, at noon. Please make plans to welcome this new business to the area.
Big Smith’s is celebrating the BIG 30!
Big Smith’s BBQ and Catfish is hosting a Business After Hours to celebrate 30 years of operation in Hopkins County! This anniversary celebration is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 10, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Grab your friends and co-workers and head out to this big celebration!
Magic Scoop is Growing
Magic Scoop is excited to host a ribbon cutting celebration for their new drive-through location! The drive-through is located 1401 South Broadway St. Come join us to check out the second location for Magic Scoop!
Lone Star Heritage Quilt Guild hosting their annual quilt show
The Lone Star Heritage Quilt Guild is hosting their annual quilt show on Friday, Sept. 20 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, Sept. 21 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The show will be held at The ROC which is located at 115 Putnam St. in Sulphur Springs. Quilt show admission is $5, and children under 12 are free. In addition, raffle tickets are available at $1 per ticket or 6 for $5 for the 2019 Raffle Quilt called “Tessalla.” For more information, visit www.SulphurSpringsTxQuilts.com.
Brick Street Vintage Market is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 21, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Downtown Business Alliance is sponsoring a Brick Street Vintage Market on Saturday, Sept. 15, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. It will be located downtown on Connally and Gilmer streets. Many local and out of town vendors and businesses will be here participating as wineries, galleries, antiques, fashion boutiques, homemade ice cream, kitchen items, restaurants, and even more. You don’t want to miss this!
Senator Bob Hall to host Town Hall
Senator Bob Hall will be hosting an 86th Legislative Session Town Hall on Saturday, Sept. 21, at 2 p.m. The Town Hall meeting will be located at the Hopkins County Courthouse.
Teen Arrested In Titus County On Felony Hopkins County Warrant
A 19-year-old Mount Pleasant man was reportedly taken into custody in Titus County on a Hopkins County warrant. Once alerted, Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office sent Corrections Officer Melvin Jackson to Titus County jail where he took Zadarrius Tremaine Gamble into custody at 1:22 p.m. Tuesday, according to arrest reports.
Gamble was transported to Hopkins County jail where, he was held on a warrant for violation of probation, which he was on for theft of a firearm. He was denied bond and remained in the Hopkins County jail Wednesday afternoon on the charge, according to arrest reports. His aliases, according to jail and arrest reports, include Fat-Daddy, Little-Z and Phat-Daddy.
Gamble was reportedly arrested and jailed locally on Dec. 12 for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and theft of a firearm; he was released later that day on $10,000 on the unlawful possession charge and $5,000 on the theft of firearm charge. He was arrested again on Dec. 22 and released the next day on $5,000 bond on a Franklin County warrant for violation probation, which he was on for theft of a firearm, according to jail reports.
Police: Wanted Sulphur Springs Man Had 2.4 Grams Of Methamphetamine At Time Of Arrest
A wanted 32-year-old Sulphur Springs man was arrested early Wednesdaymorning for failure to identify and controlled substance possession in addition to both Collin County charges.
Sulphur Springs Police reportedly learned a wanted person at a location where an accidental blaze destroyed a shed Tuesday night, according to police and fire reports. A records check showed the person in question was indeed wanted on two charges, which were confirmed by Collin County authorities, according to arrest reports.
Officials located 32-year-old Cesar Mendoza in the 500 block of Junell Street just after 12:45 a.m. Aug. 21. When asked for his name and date of birth to verify he was the person named in the warrants, he allegedly told identified himself by a different, yet similar, last name and gave a birth date one year younger than his actual age, police alleged in arrest reports.
Mendoza reportedly tried to resist when police went to take him into custody on the Collin County warrants for violating probation, which he was on for possession of 4 grams or more but less than 200 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance and possession of less than 2 ounces of marijuana. Police secured him into custody without incident or injury, Sulphur Springs Police Lt. Eddie Moon and Officer Zach Brown noted in arrest reports.
Once in custody, he allegedly admitted to having methamphetamine in his pocket. A pat down did revealed 2.4 grams of suspected methamphetamine in his pocket, along with a glass pipe and butane torch, Moon and Brown alleged.
In addition to the two Collin County warrants, Mendoza was charged with failure to identify and possession of 2 grams or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance.
Mendoza reportedly remained in the county jail Wednesday afternoon. Bond was set at $10,000 on the controlled substance charge, $1,000 on the failure to identify charge and $1,000 for violating probation on the Collin County marijuana charge; no bond was set for the other probation violation charge, according to jail reports.
Bowie Primary Student Flown To Dallas Doctor For Broken Arm
A Bowie Primary student was flown to Dallas for an injury reportedly sustained at school Wednesday morning.
The student reportedly broke an arm while on the playground at school, according to Sulphur Springs ISD Assistant Superintendent Rusty Harden.
The student’s parents were notified. The child was flown in a medical helicopter to a pediatric doctor in Dallas, school officials reported.
