Police Arrest Man Who Passed Out In Vehicle In Drive-Through Lane
Sulphur Springs Police took a 33-year-old Sulphur Springs man found passed out in the drive-through lane at a South Broadway Street Mexican food business just after 11 p.m. July 3 .
Sulphur Springs police reported finding the man “asleep” in the driver’s seat with a cold, open container of Budweiser in console of a 2014 Dodge Challenger at Taco Bueno.
He was reportedly awakened and asked to exit the car. He allegedly failed horizontal gaze nystagmus tests and was noted to emit an alcohol odor on his breath, was unsteady on his feet, had bloodshot eyes and spoke with slurred speech.
Believing the man to be a danger to himself and others, police took him into custody and to jail for public intoxication, according to arrest reports. The man was released from jail on the misdemeanor charge Thursday, according to jail reports.
Arkansas Man Jailed July 4 For Allegedly Choking Children’s Mother
A 33-year-old Bradford, Arkansas man was arrested July 4 for allegedly trying to choke the mother of his children, with the kids in the vehicle with them.
Sulphur Springs police were dispatched to the 1600 block of West Shannon Road, where an assault was reported to have occurred. Upon arrival at 7 Star, Sgt. Brandon Mayes reported talking to both the alleged victim and the suspect, identified in arrest reports as Robert Michael Jamen.
The woman was alleged to have been involved in a physical altercation with Jamen in a Dodge Ram pickup. During the altercation, the man allegedly wrapped both hands around the woman’s throat, cutting off her airway. Three children belonging to both the alleged victim and suspect reported seeing the same thing occur, while they screamed for his to stop, Mayes alleged in arrest reports.
The woman was reported to have a few visible marks around her neck and collarbone area to support the claim. Consequently, Jamen was arrested at 11:35 a.m. July 4 for assault of a family or household member that impeded breathing or circulation, according to arrest reports.
Jamen was released from Hopkins County Law Enforcement Center Friday, July 5. Bond was set at $10,000 on the third-degree felony charge, according to jail reports.
Paul Jones Named Region 8 Superintendent Of The Year
Paul Jones has been selected as the Region 8 Superintendent of the Year, which puts him in the running for consideration for Texas Superintendent of the Year honors, according to a Texas Association of School Board press release.
Jones has worked at Paris ISD for six years, and prior to that was the superintendent at Saltillo ISD.
The annual program is sponsored by TASB to recognized exemplary superintendents for excellence and achievement in educational leadership.
Candidates are chosen for their strong leadership skills, dedication to improving educational quality, ability to build effective employee relations, student performance and commitment to public involvement in education. Local nominees are submitted to a regional selection committee, which chooses one nominee to send to the state selection committee.
Jones was nominated by the Paris ISD Board of Trustees and selected by a regional screening committee of school board members.
“In our search for superintendent, Paul Jones was the candidate that stood out among many and hiring him has proven to be a great investment for our district. This mild mannered man makes the board’s job easy with good staff around him. It gives us the time to focus on student needs and education. He has an attitude with no hidden agenda and there is a mutual respect for board and superintendent. The board congratulates Mr. Jones on receiving this honor,” Paris ISD Board of Trustees President George Fisher said in a school announcement.
“I’m humbled and honored to have received this recognition,” Jones was quoted in the release. “It is a direct reflection of the hard work of our dedicated teachers, staff and administration. I would not have received this honor without a supportive board that makes every decision based on the needs of the students.”
Regional SOTY honorees are then nominated for consideration for Texas SOTY. The state committee will interview regional winners in Austin Aug. 23-24 and select five state finalists. The Texas Superintendent of the Year will be announced Sept. 21 at the 2019 Texas Association of School Administrators/ TASB Convention in Dallas, according to TASB.
All candidates in the running for Texas SOTY honors include:
- Carlos Guzman, Roma ISD, Region 1
- Sharon McKinney, Port Aransas ISD, Region 2
- Tina Herrington, Wharton ISD, Region 3
- Charles Dupre, Fort Bend ISD, Region 4
- Cody Abshier, Liberty ISD, Region 5
- Walter Jackson, Brenham ISD, Region 6
- Christopher Moran, Whitehouse ISD, Region 7
- Paul Jones, Paris ISD, Region 8
- Tylor Chaplin, Burkburnett ISD, Region 9
- Roosevelt Nivens, Community ISD, Region 10
- John Ramos, Castleberry ISD, Region 11
- Bruce Gearing, Dripping Springs ISD, Region 13
- Duane Hyde, Highland ISD, Region 14
- Carlos Rios, San Felipe Del Rio CISD, Region 15
- Tanya Larkin, Pampa ISD, Region 16
- Keith Bryant, Lubbock-Cooper ISD, Region 17
- Leandro Gonzales, Jr., Grady ISD, Region 18
- Evelyn Loeffler, Sierra Blanca ISD, Region 19
- Lloyd Verstuyft, Southwest ISD, Region 20
Prioritize Garden Activities During Hot Summer Months
By Mario Villarino, Texas AgriLife Extension Agent, agriculture and natural resources
As temperature in Hopkins County remains warm, it is important to prioritize the activities in the garden. Here some suggestions for July/August by Texas AgriLife Extension:
- By August many fall vegetable seeds and even small plants may be set out for later production. Be careful to give extra water, and a little shade, to these young plants while they are becoming established. The result will be excellent cool season garden produce.
- Trim off faded flowers on crape myrtles and vitex to encourage later re-bloom.
- Evaluate the volume of water delivered from lawn sprinklers to ensure healthy, stress-free grass during the heat of the summer. One thorough watering which will deliver one inch of water at a time is better than several more shallow sessions. The amount of water available through flower bed sprinklers may be checked by placing several shallow pans among shrubs or flowers.
- Caladiums require plenty of water at this time of year if they are to remain lush and active until fall. Fertilize with 21-0-0 at the rate of one-third to one-half pound per 100 square feet of bed area, and water thoroughly.
- Prune out dead or diseased wood from trees and shrubs. Hold off on major pruning from now until midwinter. Severe pruning at this time will only stimulate tender new growth prior to frost.
- Sow seeds of snapdragons, dianthus, pansies, calendulas, and other cool-season flowers in flats, or in well-prepared areas of the garden, for planting outside during mid-to-late fall.
- Plant bluebonnet and other spring wildflowers. They must germinate in late summer or early fall, develop good root systems, and be ready to grow in spring when the weather warms. Plant seed in well-prepared soil, one-half inch deep, and water thoroughly.
- Picking flowers frequently encourages most annuals and perennials to flower even more abundantly.
- Pick okra, peas and peppers often to maintain production.
- It is time to divide spring-flowering perennials, such as iris, Shasta daisy, oxeye, gaillardia, cannas, day lilies, violets, liriope, and ajuga.
- Make your selections and place orders for spring-flowering bulbs now so that they will arrive in time for planting in October and November.
- Don’t allow plants with green fruit or berries to suffer from lack of moisture.
- A late-summer pruning of rosebushes can be beneficial. Prune out dead canes and any weak, brushy growth. Cut back tall, vigorous bushes to about 30 inches. After pruning, apply fertilizer, and water thoroughly. If a preventive disease-control program has been maintained, your rose bushes should be ready to provide an excellent crop of flowers this fall.
- It is not too late to set out another planting of many warm-season annuals, such as marigolds, zinnias, and periwinkles. They will require extra attention for the first few weeks, but should provide you with color during late September, October, and November.
- Establish a new compost pile to accommodate the fall leaf accumulation.
House Bill 852 Restricts How Municipalities Set Community Development Fees
Sulphur Springs, like all Texas municipalities, will no longer be able to base permit and inspection fees for residential dwellings on the cost of the project, state officials determined recently.
Ordinance 2749, presented to Sulphur Springs City Council Tuesday evening, would amend Sulphur Springs’ fee schedule for community development so that the city will be in compliance with House Bill 852, which relates to information a municipality may consider in determining the amount of certain building permit and inspection fees.
HB 852 prohibits municipalities from using the value of the dwelling and the cost of constructing or improving the dwelling to determine building permit or inspection fee in connection with construction or improvement of a residential dwelling. Municipalities also are barred from requiring information related to the cost or value of construction or improvement of the dwelling when setting the costs for a building permit.
“Due to these recent changes, staff ha review our fee schedule. We have made the necessary changes to either make the fees based on square footage or a flat fee. So, for the most part our ordinance was in compliance, except for the trades; we decided to go with a flat fee. For residential remodel we want to go with square foot,” Sulphur Springs Community Development Director Tory Niewiadomski told the council.
The proposed ordinance was given approval on first reading, and will be presented again at a later meeting for final approval.
City Proposes Rezoning of 2 Recently Annexed Business Parks
Sulphur Springs City Council Tuesday during their regular session discussed a number of proposed ordinances, including two to rezone two business parks.
Ordinances 2747 and 2748 call for rezoning of Pioneer Business Park and Heritage Business Park to heavy industrial zones. Basically, Community Development Director Tory Niewiadomski told the council, this is a standard action following annexation of business parks, which “come in” as agricultural zones.
There areas were intended as industrial zones when annexed, to allow for growth and development within them, according to the community development director.
Pioneer Business Park is 103.05 acres and spans from the west side of CMH Road between Business 67 and the Interstate 30 frontage road. Heritage Business Park is 117.33 acres and includes adjacent properties located east of Loop 301 on Heritage Parkway, north of the railroad tracks, west of County Road 3501 and south of County Road 3502.
The council gave approval on first reading to both rezoning ordinances.
The Edge Next Week Will Be Two Days Only
The next to last week of The Edge conditioning program next week will be an abbreviated one. Instead of the usual Monday through Thursday, The Edge will only take place on Monday, July 8, and Thursday, July 11, next week.
The UIL has declared next Tuesday and Wednesday as dead days saying that no athletes are allowed at athletic facilities on those days.
On Monday and Thursday next week, The Edge will continue for athletes entering ninth through the twelfth grades from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. with skills work allowed from 10 a.m. until 10:30 a.m.
The Edge for students entering Middle School this fall takes place Monday and Thursday next week from 9:30 a.m. until 10:30 a.m., with skills work allowed from 10:30 a.m. until 11 a.m.
The final week of The Edge for both groups will take place the following week, July 15-18, Monday through Thursday.
City Manager’s Report Presented In July 2019 Council Meeting
By Marc Maxwell, Sulphur Springs city manager
PACIFIC PARK DRAINAGE PROJECT
On Sept. 4, 2018, the City Council approved an expenditure of $85,000 to solve a drainage issue at Carter Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Since that time engineering has designed an alternative that is simpler and less expensive. It will be easier to maintain also. We have retained 5W Construction to perform the work. They plan to start next week.
SUNSET STREET
Cement stabilization is completed, and capital construction crews have begun pouring concrete. This is the first street reconstruction project we have constructed with lay-down curbs. This style of curb does not require curb-cuts for driveway approaches. We are trying this method on a trial basis. Builders tell us that they prefer this method of construction for new subdivisions because it allows for more flexibility for driveway placement and hence, lower costs. If we like the way this works out we will change our design spec and let builders construct this style of curb & gutters from now on.
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT
Construction continues on the new aeration basins.We plan to bring the new basins online on August 05, 2019. After that the contractor will begin retrofitting the old basins with the new aeration machinery.
CONNALLY STREET
The water main installation is complete, and we have begun connecting residences to the new water main. Next the Capital Construction Division will construct the drainage improvements.
CLAIMS – We had 2 workers’ compensation claims in June. One claim was for a minor back injury, and the other was for a minor wrist injury. Both employees were treated and have returned to work.
We also received 2 claims related to sewer overflows. We have submitted both claims to the TML Risk Pool.
REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES
Finance Director Lesa Smith will give a year-to-date report of revenues and expenditures.
Elsewhere Around The City
Employees:
- Checked out 4,783 items from the library, and an additional 762 eBooks.
- Responded to 195 fire/rescue calls including 5 grass fires.
- Performed 26 fire inspections and reviewed 26 pre-fire plans.
- Sent 33 weed violation notices and issued 1 citation.
- Performed preventative maintenance on 65 fire hydrants.
- Treated 127 million gallons of potable water.
- Conducted 32 building inspections, 28 electrical inspections, 6 plumbing inspections, 5 mechanical inspections and issued 20 building permits.
- Hosted 3 baseball tournaments.
- Aerated athletic fields.
- Replaced the slide at Pacific Park.
- Repaired the runway lights at the airport.
- Assisted with storm cleanup.
- Treated wastewater to a daily average total suspended solids reading of .94 mg/L.
- Repaired 13 water main ruptures.
- Replaced 27 water meters.
- Unstopped 15 sewer mains.
- Repaired 14 sewer mains.
- Washed out 75,000 feet of sewer mains.
- Flushed 35 dead-end water mains.
- Opened the flood gates at Lake Sulphur Springs 7 times.
- Repaired Raw Water Pump #1 at Cooper Lake Pump Station.
- Sold 2,305 gallons of AvGas and 10,692 gallons of JetA fuel.
- Responded to 221 animal control calls and achieved a 21% adoption rate.
- Made 3 felony arrests in Special Crimes Unit.
- Made 65 arrests, wrote 480 citations, responded to 46 offences and 30 accidents.
Paris District Road Report for the Week of July 8, 2019
Paris — Here’s a look at work planned in Delta, Lamar and Red River Counties during the week of July 8, 2019. These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues. Motorists are advised to remain alert and pay special attention to all signs, barricades and traffic controls, and reduce their speed as they approach and travel through work zones.They should also avoid distractions such as cell phones, eating, drinking, or car audio or navigation systems.
Paris Area (Delta, Lamar, Red River Counties)
Contacts: Paris Area Office (903) 784-1357; Delta Co. Maintenance (903) 395-2139; Lamar Co. Maintenance (903) 785-4468; Red River Co. Maintenance (903) 427-3561.
US 82, Red River County: from Lamar County line to west of Detroit. Watch for temporary lane closures while crews perform spot mill & inlay work.
FM 195, Lamar County: from Spur 139 to 3.3 miles northeast. Watch for temporary lane closures while crews perform pavement resurfacing.
BU 271B (Clarksville Street) at Collegiate Drive; US 82H (Lamar Street) at 20th Street; US 82 at FM 38, Lamar County: Watch for work zones as signal and flashing beacon work is performed.
US 271 pavement repair, Lamar and Red River Counties: from Loop 286 in Paris southeastward to SH 37. Watch for work zones and drive safely through construction areas as final work is being performed.
FM 197, Lamar County: Watch for work zones and drive safely through construction areas as final work is being performed.
US 271 safety upgrades, Red River County: from FM 410 to the Red River-Titus County line. Watch for temporary lane and shoulder closures as work continues.
SH 37 safety upgrades, Red River County: from the Texas-Oklahoma state line south to the Red River-Franklin County line. Watch for work zones as workers upgrade metal-beam guard fence, replace or extend new structures and install safety end treatments.
FM 2648 widening, Lamar County: Watch for work zones and drive safely through construction areas as final work is being performed.
SH 24 expansion, Delta County: from Cooper, Texas, southwestward towards Commerce. Watch for work zones and drive safely through construction areas as final work is being performed.
The Texas Department of Transportation is responsible for maintaining 80,000 miles of road and for supporting aviation, rail, and public transportation across the state. Through collaboration and leadership, we deliver a safe, reliable, and integrated transportation system that enables the movement of people and goods. Find out more at txdot.gov. “Like” us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter/TxDOTParis.
Chamber Connection for July 4, 2019
By Lezley Brown, President/CEO, Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce
The Chamber is excited to announce our vendor call for the Stew Fest Market! On July 1, the Chamber began 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.
Meraki hosts one-year anniversary celebration
Meraki, located at 217 Main Street in Sulphur Springs, will host their one-year anniversary celebration and ribbon cutting at noon Wednesday, July 10th. Make plans to come by and congratulate Meraki on their first year of business in Hopkins County.
Rock Creek is celebrating their 10th Anniversary
Rock Creek Health & Rehab is celebrating their 10th Anniversary of operating in Hopkins County. They will host a Business After Hours on Tuesday, July 16th from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. with a ribbon cutting at 5:30 p.m. Rock Creek is located at 1414 College Street. Make plans to join Rock Creek for their big anniversary celebration!
Ribbon Cutting: Gordmans hosted their grand opening
On June 27, Bealls officially closed and became Gordmans of Sulphur Springs. They hosted a grand opening and ribbon cutting celebration on the 27th at 9 a.m. Welcome, Gordmans to Sulphur Springs.
