Coach Cipoletta Offers Conditioning, Agility Drills And More For Players This Summer
Wildcats Basketball Coach Clark Cipoletta is among the Sulphur Springs coaches who are offering voluntary conditioning and agility workouts for players this summer.
Tuesday morning, July 2, Coach Cipoletta had his players going over and back, over a short fence that surrounds the band practice field and then doing some sprints.
He says his players are lifting weights and doing running and conditioning drills several times a weeks. The players can also practice a couple of times a week and they are also offered time to shoot on their own.
Coach Cipoletta says he is getting players out of their comfort zone to make them more mentally tough. He says he wants to put the players in challenging situations, where they can push themselves and hopefully grow in those moments.
Coach Cipoletta says a really good group is showing up. He says they are a hungry group and he hopes the hard work will pay off when the season starts. Coach Cipoletta says mental toughness is something players can’t do without.
He says players show up to repeat what they have done and hopefully go places they haven’t been before and he says hard work is what it takes to accomplish those things.
PJC Board Receives Good News on Enrollment, Retention
Both enrollment and retention are up at Paris Junior College, the Board of Regents learned at their meeting held June 24.
The report on Summer I enrollment shows contact hours are up 3.6 percent from the previous year and head count is up 14.78 percent from a year ago.
“Summer II registration is going well,” said PJC President Dr. Pam Anglin, “I think Summer II enrollment is going to be really good.”
Retention is the percentage of students who did not drop. For the fall semester, the institutional retention rate was 94.39 percent and 95.56 percent for the spring semester.
In other actions, the Board of Regents:
• Received a financial report showing that in the ninth month of the fiscal year, PJC’s cash position remains strong and budgeted expenses are in line with revenue.
• Took no action on the Lamar County Appraisal District’s purchase of land for relocation of their facility.
• Approved the Memorandum of Understanding for the 2019-2020 Dual Credit Agreement with high schools that incorporates legislative requirements.
• Received a legislative update on PJC’s annual budget – up $127,830 more annually than this year. Both NETnet and the TC3 consortium were funded for the next two years.
• Accepted the employment of Kenneth Hanushek and Brandon Langehennig as Government Instructors and Nathaniel Webb as Chemistry Instructor, effective August 16; and the reassignments of Carey Gable as English Instructor effective August 16 and Katherine Barnes as Financial Aid Veterans Specialist effective July 1.
Hopkins County Gardening In July
By Bob Suson, Master Gardener
The 2019 spring was probably the wettest spring vegetable gardening in our memory; the changes that have occurred are beginning to show up. If you experienced less than desirable results, July is time to start to plan on what you want or need to change. Low spots that hold water areas that is too shady for plants to grow and don’t produce to their potential these are suggestion areas that could be problem.
The rain will stop sometime in the near future our lawns and trees and other plants needs will change, keep an eye out for changes that indicate a need for more water and other needs. October will be the time to do soil test that should give you time to amend the soil for peak performance in next spring’s gardening, lawns trees and other plants you may have that may, require different soil amendments.
New to gardening or want to make changes for improvement
A good plan is the first step in establishing a flourishing home vegetable garden. Planning includes selecting the garden location; deciding on the size of the garden; determining the types and varieties of vegetables to plant; and planning where, when, and how much of each vegetable to plant in the garden.
Choose a place where the soil is loose, rich, level, and well-drained. Do not choose low areas where water stands or the soil stays wet. Vegetables will not grow in poorly drained areas. Do not plant where weeds do not grow; vegetables will not grow well there either. Vegetables need sunlight to grow well. Do not plant where buildings, trees or shrubs will shade the garden. Most vegetables need at least 6 hours of sunlight daily. Do not plant vegetables under the branches of large trees or near shrubs because they rob vegetables of food and water.
Making the garden too large is one of the most common mistakes of enthusiastic, first-time gardeners. A garden that is too large will be too much work. When determining the size of your garden, consider these factors: Available room. For apartment dwellers, the garden may be a planter box. In a suburban or rural area, however, there may be plenty of ground space for a garden. Available time. If the only time you have for gardening is after work or school, or on weekends, there may not be enough time to care for a large garden. Family size. If gardening is a family activity, a large space can be cared for. A larger family also can use more vegetables.
Raised beds
Raised beds are freestanding garden beds constructed above the natural terrain. Texas gardeners are discovering that raised bed gardens can help solve many problems.
In many areas of the state the soil contains too much sand or clay, or is too alkaline for some plants to grow well. Soil that is poorly aerated because of compaction or poor drainage also may be a problem. Soil quality problems are often aggravated in urban and suburban settings, where topsoil and vegetation have been removed or the grade changed during construction.
Raised bed gardens improve growing conditions for plants by lifting their roots above poor soil. Soil in the beds can be amended to provide a better growing medium for plants, even plants that would not naturally thrive there. The soil in raised beds warms up earlier in the spring and is less apt to be invaded by certain grasses and by tree roots. Also, the height of raised beds may make them easier to maintain.
The first step in planning a raised bed is deciding where it will be located. Site selection and plant selection go hand in hand.
Many vegetables, ornamentals and herbs require a lot of sunlight; a bed for these plants should be located where it will receive full sun. If that is not possible, select a site that receives morning rather than afternoon sun. If only shady sites are available, try growing cool season vegetables that tolerate shade, such as broccoli, cabbage and lettuce. Also, some ornamental plants do best in partial shade.
In windy regions, place beds where they are protected from prevailing winds by fences, buildings or other structures. Beds should not be located in frost pockets or where air circulation is poor because fungal diseases often develop where there is little air flow.
A raised bed should drain well because soil that remains very wet will deprive plant roots of oxygen. Also, plant diseases develop more easily under wet conditions.
Good drainage is especially important in vegetable beds. The soil and the location determine how well a raised bed will drain. If the bed contains clay soil, it should be amended with at least one third by volume of coarse sand, organic matter or a coarse grade of perlite to improve drainage.
Do not locate a bed in a marshy area where it will sit in water. Construct landscape beds so that they slope about 2 percent (a ¼ inch drop per foot of horizontal distance) away from any structures, or away from the center of the bed. Sometimes it is necessary to install special drains; determine this during the planning stage.
Drain tiles or septic line tubing can be extended the length of the bed and through the walls at either end to create a drainage channel. Normally, one line every 4 to 6 feet is sufficient. Another way is to dig a trench in the desired direction of water flow (from the bed to a lower elevation), lay 3 to 4 inches of coarse stone in the trench, and then lay tiles or perforated tubing made of clay, concrete or plastic in the center of the trench. Cover the trench with more coarse stone and then soil.
Acknowledgments
The original version of this publication was authored by Sam Cotner and B. Dean McCraw, “Building a raised garden,” Priscilla Files, Michael Arnold, Douglas Welsh, and Frank Dainello Former Extension assistant, professor, horticultural sciences, the Texas A&M University System.
Tire Ordinance Passes; Sulphur Springs Businesses Have 6 Months To Comply
Local tire businesses will be limited in the number of scrap and used tires on their property, as well as how they may be stored.
Sulphur Springs City Council Tuesday evening approved Ordinance 2746, which amends the city code regarding tire businesses.
Businesses will be restricted to 500 used or scrap tires on the ground outside on the property. Those outside of the business must be secured from public view and covered to prevent rainwater from getting into them. The number of tires stored in enclosed trailers will be limited to 1,500.
Every two weeks, tire businesses must consider “vector control,” that is check for mosquitoes, rodents, snakes and other things the tires could harbor that would be potentially harmful to humans, and if found treat the area to prevent the hazard.
Existing tire businesses will have 6 months to meet the new regulations.
Sulphur Springs City Attorney Jim McLeroy told the council he learned while attending a used tire class taught by the Texas Illegal Dumping Resource Center 2 weeks ago. Based on the information he gleaned, the ordinance as proposed may not be the same as any other city’s but it does meet state requirements for a scrap tire ordinance.
Lake Fork’s ‘Patriot Sporting Challenge’ Launches a New Program for Starkids, Gold Star Kids
As you may already know, the purpose of the successful three year old Patriot Sporting Challenge not-for-profit is to conduct charitable events that benefit American military veterans and their families. Since 2017, the PSC has done this in events on Lake Fork while donating funds and support to other worthwhile efforts, including Folds of Honor. According to President and Executive Director Garry Schnabel, there is a new program which will launch in October 2019 in conjunction with new partner Trinity Oaks. ‘Legacy Day’ is designed to provide a day of outdoor education for the dependent children of fallen military heroes and children of fallen first responders, known as Gold Star Kids or StarKids.
PSC welcomes Trinity Oaks in bringing the belief that participation in the great outdoors is not only a powerful healing and life-changing phenomenon, it helps children to build skills and self confidence as well as develop mentor relationships. The first annual StarKids’ Legacy Day event is set for Saturday October 5, 2019 at Links at Lands End as a free-of-charge event for the children left behind by a fallen first responder or combat veteran. If you know of such a child, please contact Garry Schnabel at 903-383-2003. Each child, supported by their pre-assigned mentor, will be given the opportunity to experience an exciting day of outdoor education, to share their feelings of grief with other children, and to develop new coping behaviors through their partnership experiences in the areas of fishing, golfing, archery and shooting air rifles. Participation in the 2019 event is capped at forty (40) StarKids ages 10-18. Additionally, if you would like to assist as a Sponsor on Legacy Day, there are levels for one, two or three children which start at $300. You can find out more at PatriotSportingChallenge.org.
City Council Calls For Special Election To Help Fund Pacific Park Improvements, New Senior Citizens Center
Sulphur Springs voters will be asked Nov. 5 to go to the poles to determine whether or not to allow economic development funds to be used to help fund improvement at Pacific Park and to build a new center for senior citizens.
The city council was asked to approve a resolution for the special election to allow the EDC sales and use tax funding to be used by the city’s parks department for qualified 4B projects, including construction and maintenance of Pacific Park and Senior Citizens Center facilities.
“So at the last meeting, I put the idea out there; let’s do it again, do what we did with Coleman Park — using EDC money for a 4B purpose, this time for Pacific Park and a Senor Center. Lets authorize $200,000 a year for 20 years. That will fund $3 million worth of bonds: $1 1/2 million to go to Pacific Park and $1 1/2 million for a senior center. We will also add to that another half-million dollars in grant funding from Texas Department of Parks and Recreation to go with the Pacific Park money. So that’d be a total of $2 million to go towards Pacific Park,” Sulphur Springs City Manager Marc Maxwell told the council when presenting the election proposal Tuesday night.
Maxwell said the resolution stipulates that the city would be limited to $200,000 in EDC funding per year for 20 years.
“This is how we did Coleman Park, this is how we paid for it?” Sulphur Springs Mayor Norman Sanders asked.
Maxwell affirmed “this is exactly” how Coleman Park construction was funded 20 years ago.
The City Council gave unanimous approval to Resolution 1171 calling for the special Nov. 5 election.
“I really think that changing this and using that money from EDC that we usually use for bringing businesses in, I believe that its important to go that route because sometimes those amenities for our cities are also attractive for businesses coming into the city that may have people retiring or they may have living in those neighborhoods that would utilize those facilities. I think that’s an important way to look at it because, although we are not using that to recruit that is a recruiting tool. I think that’s a way to look at it that people need to be aware of as they consider their vote,” Sulphur Springs City Councilwoman Erica Armstrong said following the vote on the matter.
Local Officers Make 6 Unrelated Warrant Arrests July 2
At least six people were arrested and jailed in Hopkins County Tuesday on outstanding warrants, including one person wanted by the US Marshals Service. One was found at a local motel, one at the Walmart in Commerce and one taken into custody at the courthouse. Overall, five were taken into custody by sheriff’s officers and one by city police.
Sulphur Springs Police Officer Sean Hoffman was contacted and asked by a U.S. Marshals Service officer around 5:25 p.m. Tuesday to transport 37-year-old Victor Von Herrmann of Sulphur Springs to the county jail. The man had reportedly been located at his Lee Street residence. After the Sacramento warrant for Herrmann’s arrest for lewd or lascivious act with a child under age 14 was confirmed, he was taken into custody on the charge, Hoffman alleged in arrest reports. Bond was set at $600,000 on the charge, according to jail reports.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Deputy Chris Baumann arrested Keyra Leanne Dunham, 28, of Amarillo at 4:08 p.m. at the Walmart in Commerce on a Hopkins County warrant. The deputy reported receiving information the wanted woman was inside the store and contacted police, who detained her for Baumann, until he could arrive at the Commerce store and taken her into custody to jail 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 reports. Bond was set at $50,000 on the charge, according to arrest reports.
Carlton Douglas Fite, 42, of Yantis was arrested at 10:32 p.m. Tuesday, July 2, at his State Highway 154 south residence by Hopkins County Sheriff’s Deputies Zack Horne and Aaron Chaney, and Sgt. Scott Davis for surety off bond on a theft of property valued at less than $2,500 but with two or more previous convictions, which enhanced the charges to a felony offense. The deputies went to Fite’s residence to try to serve the warrant. They attempted to contact the man, but had no success. As they were leaving, Fite attempted to pull into the driveway. He was detained and taken into custody on the charge, according to arrest reports. Bond was set at $10,000 on the charge, according to jail reports.
Tacka Dashell Gotcher, 32, of Sulphur Springs was taken into custody at 3 p.m. July 2 by a corrections officer at Hopkins County Courthouse on an order revoking bond on a possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance,
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Deputy Lance Burdick and Investigator Wade Sheets took Craig Tatom Nichols, 53, of Celeste into custody at 10:16 a.m. Tuesday at Ferrari Inn on a Hunt County theft of property valued at $30,000 or more but less than $150,000 charge. Sheets advised the deputies about the wanted man. The officers went to the motel, located the man who’d allegedly booked the room under a female’s name, and took him into custody on the Hunt County charge, according to arrest reports. Bond was set at $50,000 on the charge, according to jail reports.
HCSO Deputy Steve Shing traveled to Plain State Jail in Dayton, Texas, where he took 37-year-old Toni Marie Sherrin of Gun Barrel City into custody at 12:15 p.m. Tuesday, July 2. Shing transported Sherrin, who was noted in jail reports to also be known as Toni Smith, to Hopkins County jail, where she was held on warrants for unauthorized use of a vehicle and for bail jumping and failure to appear. Bond was set at $20,000 on the vehicle charge and $25,000 and on the other, according to jail reports.
Honor Flight DFW: A Once in A Lifetime Trip for Two Hopkins County Veterans
Brothers-in-law and lifelong friends Ronnie Whitlock and Keith Klein described their recent whirlwind round trip journey to the nation’s capitol in a span of just three days and two nights. They returned with a cargo of priceless, positive memories; their own and those of their travel comrades. Here is a little of what they shared with KSST, but first let’s find out how the amazing trip was made possible.
What is Honor Flight DFW? an all-volunteer not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose sole purpose is to honor veterans who have given so much and ask for so little in return. Honor Flight DFW (HFDFW) was established in September 2008 to bring this effort to the Dallas/Ft Worth/North Texas area. The first flight departed DFW in 2009 and, to date, Honor Flight DFW has flown over 1,100 WWII veterans to Washington, DC. plus veterans of other wars. The all expense paid, three-day trip to Washington, DC includes visits to: WWII, Korean, Vietnam, Marine (Iwo Jima), Navy and Air Force Memorials and Arlington Cemetery, those memorials which symbolize the spirit, sacrifice and commitment of these American heroes. Each flight of veterans is also honored with a banquet where they are recognized during a stirring program. In 2017, the average age of Honor Flight veterans was 93 years old. Because the health concerns of most may prevent them from traveling on their own, each veteran is assigned a Guardian to ensure his/her safety. Additionally, a team of volunteer medical professionals travels with each flight on a tour which truly becomes “the trip of a lifetime”. Hopkins County native Judy Rawson Heaps is HFDFW Secretary.
Ronnie’s Story: I Joined the Navy “I wasn’t drafted in 1963, I enlisted! It was during my Senior year at Cooper High School, and a buddy and I were in Paris, Texas that day. We passed the recruiters office and I said, “Hey, let’s go sign up!” and we did. I came home and told my dad, and he said, ‘you’re going to graduate first!’. It was mid-term of my Senior year, and so they let me graduate before I took my ‘senior trip’ to basic training in June. My dad had served in the Navy and I wanted to go, too. I had no idea how that off the cuff decision was going to send me to Japan and to a life-changing experience aboard the USS Oriskany.
Keith’s Story: I was Drafted “I went into the Army in 1964 from college, and had never even heard the word Vietnam til I got to boot camp! I was sent to aircraft school, and after we had finished with our training, next day we lined up with our duffel bags and the first 26 men in line ahead of me were put on a plane for Saigon. Me and another guy were sent to New Jersey. After sometime there, I spent most of my three years of service on the continent of Africa working as an aircraft mechanic”.
Ronnie’s Service Aboard USS Oriskany “Right after boot camp, I was sent to Aviation School in Memphis but was reassigned to sea duty and spent a couple of years at Kisarazu, Japan, site of a large US Naval Base. The guys of the ‘214’ were there with us for awhile, about 60 Americans in the elite all-weather attack squadron, and on shore duty we played baseball and had cookouts to pass some time. We were near Tokyo and Mount Fuji was often visible above the morning mist. I was assigned to the USS Oriskany, which was headed for support operations in the Gulf of Tonkin, off the coast of northern Viet Nam and southern China. There were more people on this carrier than in all of Delta County, about 6600! I worked in Recovery, under the flight deck. In October 1966, on our second day out of Midway, a fire broke out aboard which we all fought. It burned helicopters and aircraft, injured over 150 personnel and killed 44 over three hours time. I will never forget that line of caskets on deck or the burial at sea we witnessed in parade formation. News reporting of the incident was grave, and my parents thought for sure that I had been killed. And boy, were they surprised when I showed up at home! The ‘mighty O-boat’ is referred to in the movie ‘Top Gun’ and in 2006, she was sunk off the coast of Florida to form a recreational reef for divers. I spent my last months at Hunters Point Shipyard out of San Francisco, and then I went home to Cooper, Texas”.
. Keith’s Service in US Army “During my tour of duty in the Vietnam War, I was assigned to various places in Libya, Ethiopia, Sudan and Liberia as an aircraft mechanic. But at first, I worked for a few months on the small LOH (light observation helicopter) the Army had, these were small and fast jet-powered multi-purpose helicopters. I assisted with the radios, inspections and maintenance of these. In Ethiopia, I really saw the backside of the country and how the common people lived. I was glad to have a home in America to go back to. Sometimes I was part of a truck transport mission where we carried items needed for helicopter repair. We were always armed on the ground. Later in Sudan, I flew out in a helicopter each day for about a year in support of a team making detailed topographical maps. I can’t help but feel that the work we did there was largely in preparation for the next war. I served from 1964-1967, but never set foot in Vietnam”.
Their Impressions of the Honor Flight Trip Arriving about mid-day on Friday June 14 at Reagan International Airport, the 46 veterans and their guardians began their tour of the national landmarks. First stop was the US Navy Memorial on Pennsylvania Avenue, a huge museum built in 1987 to honor those who have served or are currently serving in the Navy, Coast Guard and the Merchant Marine. The group took some time for fellowship and much needed rest at their hotel in Arlington, Virginia. Next morning, Saturday June 15, the group arrived at the National Mall, visiting the US Air Force Memorial which opened in 2006, the Korean War Veterans Memorial dedicated in 1995 and the National World War Two Memorial which opened in 2004. They visited the Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima) which opened in 1954, also spent somber time viewing the 500-foot long Vietnam War Memorial Wall as well as the Vietnam Women’s Memorial. They witnessed the amazing Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The busy day wrapped up with a stop at the Martin Luther King Memorial and the Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials. That night, the group was treated to a banquet, a special message from news legend Ted Koppel who was guest speaker and a concert by the fabulous US Air Force Band ‘Max Impact’. After a short night of rest, the group toured Arlington Memorial Cemetery as a final goodbye to their comrades in arms, then boarded a plane for DFW. Though they arrived late at night, an organized welcoming party was there to welcome them home on Sunday June 16, 2019.
Guardian Tim Dant Tells His Story “I am not a military veteran, but last year, I got involved in Honor Flight DFW and this was my fourth trip. They say I’ve got ‘honor flight-itis’! Most of the guardians wear their Honor Flight DFW caps but this time, I wore my dad’s cover in honor of him, he was a Marine. He nor my father in law got to go on a flight, so I go for them and it’s a privilege! I personally felt it was my privilege to accompany these two brothers-in-law and experience their once in a life time trip through their eyes. It was a grand experience”.
Organizer Judy Rawson Heaps Tells Her Story “Since 2006, DFW Airport has been the site of dozens of these flights, and I go on every one of them that I can. The thrill of knowing these men and women are able to realize how proud and appreciative we are for their service is the main reason I go. Also to make sure that their journey is worry-free and as full of memorable moments as we can possibly make it. Although veterans of all wars are welcome, we place WWII Veterans at the top of the list whenever we are put in contact with them or their family, because there isn’t much time left for these heroes. The WWII Memorial was among the last ones to be completed, and so we are concentrating on the remnant of ‘the greatest generation’ to be able to see it through Honor Flight DFW. It’s how I feel I get to serve them. My dad got to go on Honor Flight and I know how much it meant to him. Truly, it’s heartwarming and gratifying just to be a part of this marvelous activity. And not only is it the veterans as they proudly march onto the plane as they depart, but the scores of greeters and well wishers who line up to wave and express their support and pride as they board and as they return. This is pride in America, and I’m happy to say it’s still very much alive and well!”
City To Use $10,000 Bruner Silver Award Funding To Provide WiFi Downtown
By the end of the year patrons of Celebration Plaza and the downtown area could be enjoying free Internet, thanks to a $10,000 Rudy Bruner Award.
The city was nominated for the national award by Ian Lockwood of Toole Design Group, the design engineer behind the downtown revitalization project. From among many cities nominated across the country, Sulphur Springs was named a finalist for a Rudy Bruner Award.
“The Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence is a national design award that recognizes transformative urban places distinguished by their economic and social contributions to America’s cities. Founded in 1986 by architect Simeon Bruner, the award promotes innovative thinking about the built environment by celebrating and sharing the stories of creative and inspiring urban development,” according to Rudy Bruner Award website.
One gold medal and four silver medals are awarded biennially. The Rudy Bruner gold medalist receives a $50,000 cash prize and each silver medalist receives $10,000.
“We didn’t win, but we got silver,” said Sulphur Springs City Manager Marc Maxwell.
The funding will be utilized to expand the city’s internet pipeline so that WiFi is available to those who visit downtown. While free, there would be a few parameters for the free WiFi. Discussed was potentially limiting use to up to 4 hours per IP address per day, according to the city manager. All of the details have yet to be worked out for installation and use, but the service is expected to be installed this fall or winter.
The city was awarded the project for the redesigned, rebuilt and re-imagined downtown square, Main and Connally Streets.
“Sulphur Springs Downtown provides a great example of how to bring small towns back to life,” the 2019 Bruner Award Selection Committee noted.
As was the case in the development of the downtown area into the popular destination and thriving area of the city once more, many individuals contributed data and information to the Bruner application.
Maxwell provided a public agency perspective, Billie Ruth Standbridge provided a developer perspective, Ian Lockwood a professional consultant perspective as well as a project description, and Myra Watson the perspective of a real estate expert. The written part of the application was 20 pages, with at least that many more pages filled with color photos and descriptions of the area before and after the project.
