*Updated* Rocky is FOUND in Hopkins County.
Thank You to all the good helpers at KSST for getting the word out while Rocky was missing. He found his way home this morning, having been missing since April 18.
Rocky is a 6-7 month-old black and tan young dog being sought by his owners. About mid-April, Rocky got out of his yard on the south side of Sulphur Springs. Due to KSST Trading Post exposure, Rocky was spotted and identified during the Easter weekend by homeowners on CR 2307, off Highway 11 East. It is thought he may still be in the SE Hopkins County area. He is not wearing a collar. He is almost grown and is probably about 40″ tall. Rocky is very shy and probably cannot be approached by strangers. However if you see him, please text his owners and they will come and try to retrieve the dog. Include a snapshot if possible. The numbers to call or text are Laura Ream Ballard at 903-348-1434 or Bryan Ballard at 817-659-0575 or Michael Ream at 903-348-3774.
*Updated* Broadway Closed For 9 Hours Due to Major Gas Leak
South Broadway Street was finally reopened after midnight Monday, about 9 hours after the section of roadway from Wildcat Way to Duckworth Street was closed to traffic due to a natural gas line bging struck.
Residents and business owners in the area were warned around 3 p.m. to not start their cars in the vicinity as a result of a major natural gas leak. Utility crews damaged a large line traversing the area and have closed off all of traffic.
Bowie Elementary, close to the area, was put on alert and a firefighter was staged near the school, monitoring levels as a safety precaution, officials reported.
Dismissal at Bowie Primary was initially planned to be delayed, but the school was given the all clear just after 3:15 p.m. for parents to pick up their students for regular dismissal, according to SSISD Assistant Superintendent Rusty Harden.
Duckworth Street, Posey Lane, Shannon Road and Mockingbird Lane remained open to traffic. However, the section of South Broadway Street between Wildcat Way and Duckworth Street remained closed until after 12 a.m. Tuesday while crews worked to repair the main line that was struck.
Man Reportedly Assaulted While Walking Down Road
A 39-year-old man was allegedly assaulted while walking down Lamar Street Saturday morning. He was reportedly sustained an injury to one side of his face, above his eye, according to police reports.
Sulphur Springs police were called to the hospital late Saturday morning regarding the alleged assault. The 39-year-old was reportedly walking to work on Lamar Street when a man drove up in a white car, stopped, got out and sprayed the man pedestrian with pepper spray. The alleged assailant then reportedly shot an air pistol 11-12 times at him, striking him above one eye, before leaving, according to offense reports.
Police are investigating the case, recorded as aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. No arrest had been made in connection with the case as of Monday morning, according to police reports.
Cinco de Mayo Celebration Planned for Saturday May 4 on Celebration Plaza
Regarded as the largest gathering of people on the downtown plaza, the Cinco de Mayo celebration is 2018 is said to have brought close to 10,000 people to the Sulphur Springs downtown district. Now, this year’s celebration is being planned for Saturday May 4, 2019 . The festival will begin at 1pm and conclude before midnight. According to Oscar Aguilar, one of the organizers, there will be music and entertainment acts, all kinds of hand-prepared Mexican and Latin American foods for sale, games of skill and chance, and fun attractions for all ages. More than a dozen different acts including Norteno bands, dancers, singing groups, soloists and instrumentalists will be part of the 10-hour lineup of talent. Local band Jacoby Smith and Moonlight Twang will add country music to the lineup.
According to Oscar in a Good Morning Show interview, the festival will celebrate the colorful heritage of the people of Mexico. The traditional celebration date of May 5 is based on history when, in 1862, a small Mexican army defended themselves against a superior power by defeating Napoleon III’s French army which was threatening to invade the Puebla district of Mexico. Although the French powers did intrude later, the Mexican people celebrate Cinco de Mayo annually as they remember the bravery of the villagers and townspeople who fought the battle to preserve their land and heritage.
Selma Woman Arrested After Suspected Marijuana Found In Spare Tire Compartment
A routine Interstate traffic stop Sunday night resulted in location of hidden marijuana, a bottle of pills and an arrest.
A Texas Department of Public Safety trooper stopped a Honda Accord at 3:27 p.m. Sunday at mile marker 132 on I-30 after observing it traveling 86 miles per hour in a 75 mph speed zone. On contact, a 30-year-old Selma woman was identified using her driver’s license, according to arrest reports.
The trooper reported smelling a marijuana odor in the car and conducted probable cause search. A black container full of marijuana was found next to the spare tire in the spare tire compartment in the truck, the trooper alleged in arrest reports.
The DPS officer also reported fining a medicine bottle containing a substance that resembled codeine, but had no label, in a backpack. The woman claimed she “got the bottle to help her sleep and said it was a mixture of Melatonin and other things she did no know of,” the trooper noted in arrest reports.
The marijuana and pill bottle were seized, the woman taken to jail for misdemeanor possession of marijuana, and the car impounded. The bottle is to be sent to a DPS crime lab for testing, Sorley reported.
Cumby Police Arrest Dallas Pair Reportedly Traveling In Stolen Car
Cumby Police arrested a Dallas pair, stopped Sunday morning in what turned out to be a stolen vehicle.
Marc Anthony Martinez, 23, and Infant Venzor, 20, were taken to jail by Cumby Police Officer Zack Steward for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
According to arrest reports, Cumby Police Sgt. Ray Embro saw a blue Mitsubishi sedan with a defective tail light in the area of Frisco Street and the north Interstate 30 service road at 8:22 a.m. April 28. At the stop sign, the front male passenger exited the car, walked behind it and got into the driver’s seat. The female who’d been driving, climbed over the console and to into the passenger’s seat.
Embro said he stopped the pair in Fast Mart parking lot. The male was identified as Marc Martinez and the woman, who admitted she didn’t have a driver’s license, was identified as Venzor.
During his interview with the pair, the Embro said he developed “reasonable suspicion that Mr. Martinez and Ms. Venzor were engaging in criminal activity,” so he asked Martinez to step out of the car and asked permission to search it. Martinez refused permission, Embro alleged in arrest reports.
Embro reported he then asked Venzor’s permission to search the car, as she was the initial person he saw driving it. She agreed, and several new Dewalt power tools with “spider wire” still on them were located. The pair was detained.
Cumby Police Officer Zack Steward arrived to assist wth the stop, conducing a license plate check on the car. The car showed to have been reported to Dallas Police Department as stolen. Embro contacted DPD and received confirmation the car was stolen on April 25, the officer wrote in arrest reports.
Martinez and Venzor were taken to jail for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle; the car was towed, Embro reported.
Update: Police Release Name Of Woman Killed In Friday Crash On Loop 301
Police have identified woman who died Friday as a result of a two-vehicle crash on East Loop 301 Friday evening as 82-year-old Sylvia Hodges Mohler of Sulphur Springs.
Local dispatchers were alerted about 6:15 p.m. Friday of a major crash on East Loop 301 at Church Street.
According to police, a Buick and Chevrolet Avalanche were involved in the crash, one traveling southbound on Church Street and the other traveling west across East Loop 301. The westbound vehicle reportedly failed to yield to the other vehicle, causing the two to collide in the intersection. The vehicle with carrying Mohler and 89-year-old Hoard Gene Mohler ended up in a small tree line, according to police reports.
The Mohlers were transported to the hospital, where Sylvia Mohler reportedly died overnight Friday, according to Sulphur Springs Police Capt. Jason Ricketson. The 31-year-old man in the other vehicle was not reported to have sustained any life-threatening injuries, police said Saturday morning.
Miller Grove Track Results
Update from Miller Grove ISD Administration
This weekend we had athletes competing at the regional track meet in Whitney. It was a great weekend for us. We qualified 4 athletes for the state meet.
Girls state qualifiers – Jorja Bessonett regional champion in both the 3200 and 1600. Jolee Fox third place in the 3200 with a photo finish but got the wild card for the state meet and fourth in the 1600.
Boys state qualifiers – Kobe Robertson regional champion in the 800, 1600 and runner up in the 3200. Isaiah Billingsley regional champion in the 3200, runner up in the 1600 and third in the 800.
Other athletes who competed were:
Cassidy Seaney 400 – 5th place & 4×400 5th place,
Rosa Schones, Lauren Bullard, Harli Watson, Lainy Burnett, all in the 4×200 & 4×400 – 5th place
Grant Earp 1600 – 3rd place, 4×400
Matt Brignon 400 – 5th place, 800 4th place, 4×400,
Lance Verner Davis 3200 – 5th place & 4×400,
Lexton Sly, and Tanner Hensley. – 4×400
The boys team are Regional Champions. We had to sweep the 1600 and have a little help in the mile relay for this to happen and as you can see in one of the pics we swept the 1600.
The young men who competed were: Grant Earp, Kobe Robertson, Matt Brignon, Isaiah Billingsley, Lance Verner Davis, Lexton Sly and Tanner Hensley.Team Pick – Coach Ana Billingsley, Coach Blake Hill, Matt Brignon, Tanner Hensley, Lexton Sly, Kobe Robertson, Isaiah Billingsley, Grant Earp, Lance Verner Davis, Coach Gary Billingsley
Picture with 6 kids is the 3200 sweep by Hopkins County.Garrett Tarver Saltillo 3rd place, Isaiah Billingsley Miller Grove 1st, Kobe Robertson Miller Grove 1st, Jorja Bessonett Miller Grove 1st, Bailey Neal Sulphur Bluff 2nd, Jolee Fox Miller Grove 3rd.
1600 podium sweep for Miller Grove – Isaiah Billingsley, Kobe Robertson, Grant Earp
Thurman Family Agricultural Endowment to Benefit Agriculture Students
The Thurman Family Agricultural Endowment at Texas A&M-University Commerce has been established by Steve Thurman and Kelly Thurman. The endowment will benefit students majoring in agribusiness and those participating on the Livestock and Meat Judging Teams.
“The endowment is our small way of supporting Texas A&M University-Commerce as the university equips men and women for the challenges of an agriculture career,” Thurman said.
Generations of the Thurman family have been involved in agriculture from small crop and livestock operations in Northeast Texas to agribusiness projects around the world.
“Agriculture certainly deserves the title of ‘The World’s Most Important Business;’ therefore, everyone acknowledges the importance of supporting the future of the ag industry,” Thurman said.
Dr. Randy Harp, dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, stated that on average, a student who graduated in 2016 has about $37,000 in student loan debt. “One of our main goals is to reduce this debt for students as they graduate and embrace a career and a process of lifelong learning,” Harp said. “Scholarships for students are paramount.”
Thurman emphasized that with A&M-Commerce’s location being one of the most productive crop and livestock regions in Texas — as well as being only an hour from the Dallas area, which positions the university to embark on urban farming — the university and college are well-positioned to become a world-class institution of agricultural excellence.
“Kelly and I enthusiastically embrace the endeavors of the university leadership to make A&M-Commerce a world-class institution of agricultural excellence,” Thurman said.
Thurman is originally from Honey Grove, Texas, and received his bachelor’s in agribusiness in 1981 from East Texas State University, now A&M-Commerce. He was active on the Meat Judging Team during his time at ETSU and was the second high-point individual in the nation. He has worked in the global crop production industry for almost four decades and is president of Blue Norther Investments, LLC, a holding company that includes in its portfolio the agriculture consultancy firm 45th & Farm, LLC.
Kelly Thurman has led global sales teams at EDS, Sprint and Bristol Myers Squibb. She co-owns AdviSoar, which offers a program that trains sales professionals on how to sell multi-million dollar contracts. She is also an executive coach committed to developing the next generation of leaders to become executives.
About Texas A&M University-Commerce:
A&M-COMMERCE serves rural and metropolitan Northeast Texas with distinction, consistently delivering on a promise that our founder, Professor William Leonidas Mayo, made more than a century ago: “No industrious, ambitious youth shall be denied an education if I can prevent it.” Since our university’s humble beginnings, the mission to provide a high-quality, personal, accessible and affordable educational experience for a diverse community of learners remains unchanged.
Programs are delivered on-site at the Commerce campus as well as in Corsicana, Dallas, McKinney, Frisco and Mesquite. Many courses are also available online. Students may choose from more than 135 degree programs at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels. A vibrant student life experience includes 14 NCAA Division II athletic teams, a thriving Greek system and more than 120 student organizations.
About the A&M System: The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation, with a budget of $4.69 billion. Through a statewide network of 11 universities and seven state agencies, the Texas A&M System educates more than 150,000 students and makes more than 22 million additional educational contacts through service and outreach programs each year. System-wide, research and development expenditures exceeded $996 million in FY 2017 and helped drive the state’s economy.
Early Voting Continues In Municipal, School Elections
Early voting continues Monday-Tuesday, April 29-30, in Como-Pickton and Yantis school board elections, Sulphur Springs City Council and special proposition elections and the Miller Grove ISD bond election.
Voting hours are extended Monday, April 29, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Yantis ISD Board of Trustees Election. Early voting by personal appearance will resume from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 30, in the Early Voting Room inside Wood County Courthouse, 100 South Main St. in Quitman. Election Day voting will be conducted from 7 a.m. To 7 p.m. Saturday, May 4, in Yantis Elementary School foyer.
Yantis voters are asked to select up to two of the three candidates for two full-term seats on YISD Board of Trustees. Candidates are incumbent April Johnson and challengers Jennifer Larkin and Jeff Quinn.
Ballots in the Como-PCISD Board of Trustees Election may be cast in person from 8 a.m. To 4 pm. April 22-April 30 and Como-Pickton Administration Office. Election Day voting will be conducted from 7 a.m. To 7 p.m. Saturday, May 4, in Room 114 at Como-Pickton School (in front of building where general election was held).
Seven candidates have filed, seeking candidacy for one of four full-term at-large seats on C-P CISD school board; they include incumbents D.J. Carr and JJ Cummings, and challengers James R. “Jim” Murray, Lee Skidmore, Brittney Smith, Felecia Smith and Shane Wilton.
Shiloh Childress is unchallenged in his bid for the unexpired term seat. Shiloh Childress was appointed to fill the seat following trustee Greg Anglin’s resignation in December, to become the commissioner for Precinct 2 starting Jan. 1; Childress has filed to serve out the remained of that term.
Miller Grove ISD voters are asked to consider approving a $2 million bond election for a new multipurpose facility to be used as an elementary gymnasium, fine arts area with UIL approved stage, concessions and kitchen area; restrooms; and space for future classrooms, weight and locker rooms. Approving the bond would mean a $0.14 per $100 property value increase to the debt portion of the school tax rate.
Early voting by personal appearance in the Miller Grove ISD bond election will resume from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Tuesday, April 29-30. Voting will be conducted from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Election Day, Saturday, May 4. The high school gymnasium serves as the polling site for all voting in the MGISD bond election.
Voting in Sulphur Springs City Council and proposition elections will resume from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Tuesday, April 29-30. Election Day voting will be conducted from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, May 4. All voting in Sulphur Springs elections is being conducted in the second floor conference room at City Hall.
Sulphur Springs voters are asked to choose one of the two candidates in each of three places on the city council, and to consider approving 13 propositions for changes to the city charter. Candidates for Sulphur Springs City Council include, for Place 4, incumbent Freddie Taylor and challenger Reiko Alexander; for Place 5, Jeff Sanderson and incumbent Emily Glass; and for Place 6 (the remainder of an unexpired term), appointed incumbent Doug Moore and challenger Landon Thornton.
