Police: THC Found During I-30 Traffic Stop
A routine traffic stop on Interstate 30 resulted in location of suspected THC and a felony arrest Sunday night
Sulphur Springs Police Lt. Eddie Moon and Sgt. Joshua Shufeldt reportedly stopped Linda Ann Perkins, 44, of Memphis at 9:30 p.m. May 5 on Interstate 30 east at mile marker 125 for speeding and driving a Saturn Vie in the left lane and not passing. Upon contact, the officers alleged they could smell a marijuana odor emitting from the vehicle.
Liquid THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) was found in Perkins’ purse during a probable cause search of the vehicle. She reportedly claimed the items and was arrested for possession of 4 grams or ore but less than 400 grams of a Penalty Group 2 controlled substance.
Two other occupants were released with the vehicle, reports read.
Perkins was released from the county jail Monday on $20,000 bond on the controlled substance charge.
Sanders Resigns As City Public Safety Director
James “Jay” Sanders, who is reportedly under investigation, has officially resigned from his position as public safety director for the city of Sulphur Springs. Sanders turned in his resignation on Friday, according to Sulphur Springs City Manager Marc Maxwell.
Sanders has been on administrative leave since about March 22,
“due to his being involved in an ongoing criminal investigation by another agency. This action should not be viewed as an opinion on the merits of the investigation,” Maxwell stated in a press release March 25.
What, if any, impact the resignation would have on the investigation would be up by Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, Maxwell said.
Jason Ricketson will continue as acting police chief, and Tim Vaughn as acting fire chief for the city, Maxwell said.
SSHS Wildcats Baseball Area Competition Schedule
Wildcats Baseball Playoff Series for Area Round is Firmed Up
It appears the Wildcats’ baseball team will be playing Joshua in the Area round series this Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Sunday evening Wildcats Baseball Coach Jerrod Hammack said the two teams had agreed to play game one Thursday at 7 p.m. in Prosper with game two Friday at 7 p.m. in Prosper. A third game, if necessary, would be played on Saturday with details still to be determined. Coach Hammack and Athletic Director Greg Owens were working Sunday evening to firm up details with Joshua. The Wildcats come into the series with a 17-10 record and they have won seven straight games. The Wildcats defeated Hallsville in a bi-district series two games to zero winning 3-2 last Wednesday and 4-3 on Saturday with both games at Mike Carter Field in Tyler. The Wildcats are the #4 playoff seed in their district, District 15-5A. Joshua downed Mesquite Poteet two games to one winning the deciding game Saturday afternoon. Joshua is the #3 playoff seed from District 14-5A.
Lady Cats Softball Coach David Carrillo Releases Regional Quarterfinal Series Versus Hallsville
Lady Cats Softball Coach David Carrillo released the Lady Cats’ Regional Quarterfinal schedule next week against former district foe Hallsville. All games will be at Grand Saline on Thursday and Friday (May 9-10). Game one will be Thursday at 6:30 p.m.Game two will be Friday at 5:30 p.m. and game three, if necessary, will take place after game two. The Lady Cats have defeated Whitehouse in bi-district 14-4 and 6-3 and Midlothian in area 10-0, 10-1. The Lady Bobcats got by Lindale in bi-district 7-2 and outlasted North Forney in area losing game one 3-2 and then winning game two 3-2 and game three 5-2. As district foes last season, the two teams split games. The Lady Cats won at Hallsville 7-3 and then the Lady Bobcats won at Lady Cat Park 10-4.
Alyssa Hebert, Brayden Freeman Named CHS 2019 Valedictorian, Salutatorian
Cumby High School this week honored Alyssa Hebert and Brayden Freeman as the highest ranking students in their senior class.
Valedictorian Alyssa Hebert
Alyssa Hebert achieved the honor of valedictorian with a 4.04 grade point average, and Brayden Freeman earned salutatorian honors with a 3.94 GPA.
Valedictorian Hebert is the daughter of John Hebert and Charoty Hebert of Cumby.
Her advice to other students who are also hoping to be successful is to “work hard.”
“It certainly took a lot of hard work, and it was actually a little shocking,” Hebert said of being name this year’s top CHS student.
She was recognized for being on the AB Honor Roll and received an art award at the annual CHS Academic Banquet. She also was honored as “outstanding student” in dual credit English 2322, dual credit English 2323, and dual credit anatomy and physiology. She also received an art award.
Hebert expressed appreciation agriculture science teacher Jonathan Mendez for his “patient and a welcoming nature, the best gifts a teacher can give.” She thanked him for “having confidence in me when I didn’t have it in myself, as well as showing her the value of perseverance and that “hard work can be pretty fun.
Hebert has been accepted into the Honors College at Texas A&M-Commerce Honor’s College, where she will work toward a degree in psychology. Being admitted to the Honor College is considered a “full ride” valued at $75,000 over the course of the award years.
“I’m going to become a psychologist. The workings and way of the mind have always fascinated me,” Hebert said.
She also was awarded a $1,000 Cumby Telephone Scholarship.
CHS salutatorian Brayden Freeman is the son of Stephanie Cota of Cumby.
He considers being named salutatorian “a great honor and a good learning experience.”
Freeman’s advice to students striving for success is to “stay focused and never give up on your dreams.”
During high school, Freeman was involved in the National Honor Society. He was recognized for remaining the A Honor Roll. He also participated in current events and science UIL competitions.
He said he loves anything history or weather-related, a passion that had him participating in History Day every year. He also enjoys working with computers.
Freeman said he hopes people will remember him for his willingness to learn new things and to work hard.
The salutatorian credits history teacher Ryan Petty for his influence.
“Mr. Petty has always inspired me to do great things,” Freeman said.
Freeman plans to attend Texas A&M University-Commerce, where he will major in computer science and information systems, with a goal of earning a bachelor of science in computer science.
He has been awarded the Presidential Scholarship, the First Year Leadership award and the General Scholarship from Texas A&M- Commerce. He also has been awarded a $1,000 Cumby Telephone Scholarship.
In addition to earning top honors at high school, both honor graduates have attained enough college credit hours to graduate from Paris Junior College this spring as well. Freeman was noted to have been inducted into Phi Theta Kappa, the honor society for two-year colleges.
North Texas Mother Honors Son’s Memory By Publishing Children’s Book
Sue Barker can’t help but smile when talking about any of her kids or grandkids, but she beams with pride while telling a particular story. It all began with the untimely death of her son, Cole Barker, in March 2017. It was at Sue and Ronny Barker’s house when a childhood teacher of Cole’s, Jeanne Lawrence, approached Sue to tell her a story long forgotten by Sue. Sue was thrilled to hear the story. Jeanne reminded Sue that when Cole was in her class at 10 years of age, Cole lamented over a particular assignment. In fact, he just downright refused to complete the task. The assignment was for each student, Cole included, to write a story and provide illustration. Although Cole had a vivid imagination, and was not bashful in telling stories, the thought of actually putting pencil to paper terrified him. Through much encouragment and prodding by his teacher, Cole finally completed the story just ahead of the deadline, Open House.
Cole was relieved, to say the least, that the project was complete, and the Open House was over. His time with the short story, The Boar Named Bob, was over. Mischievously, he held the book over the trash can until he caught the attention of his teacher. As her eyes met his, he dropped the book into the trash can, a glorious gesture of his thoughts of the project. So he thought.
Jeanne Lawrence promptly retrieved the book from the trash and told Cole she was keeping it. He smiled and told her “to keep it since she liked it so much!” This began a 25 year not so “private” joke between teacher and student. When their paths would cross, Jeanne would remind Cole that she still had his book. Cole, always quick with a comeback, would say “better you than me”, or “I guess you still like it” or something similar.
As time went by and other students lamented over similar projects, Cole’s book, along with others, became prime examples of what the current 10 year olds could do with their imagination. The lights would dim, bowls of popcorn would appear, and Ms. Lawrence would tell the tales as written by previous students. With tons of expression, and certainly some dramatic effect, the current class was hooked. Now they volunteered to read, or offered to change the stories, telling them from a different character’s perspective. They would even change the ending. The creative juices were now flowing. The students were much more at ease. Long gone were the days of prodding that it took to make Cole complete the task, albeit with Cole’s help.
Fast forward 25 years, as the result of a tragic skiing accident, Ronny and Sue Barker lost their son Cole in Colorado. He achieved most everything in life that he wanted: graduating from Mount Vernon High in 2000, then from Baylor University in 2005 and moving to Colorado and working as a drilling fluid engineer. He later started his own excavation business. He married Allison Rennemo in August 2013. Cole left behind a sister, Karen and husband Matt McClard, as well as a niece, Lucy, and nephew Hayden.
Now, Cole’s imagination and determination, continues to live on as his book The Boar Named Bob has been published. Now parents and other teachers can tell the story that so many other students have heard and become inspired. Sue recently had a book launch event at NorthPark Mall in Dallas inside the Pinto Ranch store. Now the almost forgotten project is accompanied by coloring books and props and there is even a puppet show in the works. Many more items are coming to “The Boar Store”. Sue pushes forward not only to help other younger children to get past their literary fears but the resulting proceeds from this valiant effort all goes to the Cole Barker Memorial Scholarship Fund. This fund was first started by Cole’s classmates from Mount Vernon graduating class of 2000 but now gains much more traction from sales of the book. The Scholarship Fund awards one-time scholarships to a graduating senior of Mount Vernon High School each year. Multiple scholarships are planned this year.
You can learn more about Sue’s journey and Cole’s legacy by visiting the link below. You can also purchase a book, or several, to share with a niece, nephew, or grandchild. Read the story, tell the story, share the legacy. It is a story you will never forget.
Lady Cats Softball Coach David Carrillo Releases Regional Quarterfinal Series Versus Hallsville
Lady Cats Softball Coach David Carrillo released the Lady Cats’ Regional Quarterfinal schedule for next week against former district foe Hallsville.
All games will be at Grand Saline on Thursday and Friday, May 9-10. Game one will be Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Game two will be Friday at 5:30 p.m. and game three, if necessary, will take place after game two.
The Lady Cats have defeated Whitehouse in bi-district 14-4 and 6-3 and Midlothian in area 10-0, 10-1. The Lady Bobcats got by Lindale in bi-district 7-2 and outlasted North Forney in area, losing game one 3-2 and then winning game two 3-2 and game three 5-2. As district foes last season, the two teams split games. The Lady Cats won at Hallsville 7-3 and then the Lady Bobcats won at Lady Cat Park 10-4.
City of Sulphur Springs Election Results
For Place 4, Freddie Taylor is reelected. He received 412 votes and challenger Reiko Alexander 340 votes.
For Place 5, Jeff Sanderson beat incumbent Emily Glass 407 votes to 360 votes.
For Place 6, Doug Moore is reelected, receiving 566 votes to challenger Landon Thornton’s 158 votes.
Also, all 13 propositional amendments to the city charter passed as well.
It should be noted, all election results are unofficial until canvassed by the City Council at an upcoming meeting.
Yantis ISD School Board Election Results
May 4, 2019 – In the Yantis ISD Board of Trustees Election, incumbent April Johnson and challenger Jeff Quinn defeated challenger Jennifer Larkin for the two seats on the school board. Johnson and Quinn each received 60 votes to Larkin’s 28 votes.
April Johnson and Jeff Quinn are scheduled to be sworn in at the May 21 school board meeting.
All election results are unofficial until canvassed.
Miller Grove Bond Election Results
The Miller Grove Bond Election passed with 87 votes cast for and 45 votes against the proposed $2 million bond for a new multipurpose building, school officials report.
