Tira News for April 17, 2019
BY JAN VAUGHN
The Tira Volunteer Fire Department is having an Open House on Sunday, April 28, from 1 to 3 p.m. The station is on the west end of the Tira Community Center on FM 1536. Pam Martin reports, “Everyone is invited to come by and see our newest addition.” Light refreshments will be served. You are encouraged to come support the department and let the firefighters show you around.
Joyce Dodd shared that the next Bible study at the Tira Methodist Church is
coming up on Tuesday, April 23, at 1 p.m. Everyone is welcome.
North Hopkins Family & Consumer Sciences (FCS) teacher, Lisa Sprague, would like to let everyone know that a 20th Anniversary Scholarship Foundation Dinner and Auction is planned for Saturday, April 27, beginning at 6 p.m. in the school cafeteria.
She comments, “The meal will be prepared by the culinary department and Charlie Vaughn and Mr. Lowe [secondary principal] (the prime rib team) and high school students from BETA, FFA, FCCLA, Athletics and Business will be setting up, serving, and cleaning up at the event. Tickets are $25 each and proceeds go to helping NH students.” Chicken will, also, be an option for the main course. If you would like to purchase tickets, please call or text me at 903-438-6688 and I will put you in touch with Lisa Sprague or Danna Lewis.
Jan Vaugh, Yvonne Weir and Brenda Allen toured the Saints Cyril and Methodius Church from the Painted Churches in the Schulenburg area last Friday.
Yvonne Weir and I met Brenda Allen in Sulphur Springs on Thursday, April 11, and we took a scenic drive to Schulenburg.
On Friday, we went on a tour of the “Painted Churches” in that area. The four historic Catholic churches that we visited featured elaborately painted walls, ceilings and sculptures. Our tour guide for the day, Terri, was very knowledgeable and we had a wonderful time with her. She allowed us to tour her restored farm house and we enjoyed lunch together in downtown Schulenburg.
We saw lots of beautiful wildflowers along the roadsides. The bluebonnets and paintbrushes were especially pretty along the stretch from Waco to Corsicana on our way home on Saturday, and were a welcome distraction from the pouring rain that we encountered along the way.
We stopped by the Magnolia Marketplace in Waco and enjoyed the experience, but decided we might like to return on a less crowded weekday.
Nicole Klemptner reports, “My boys, Dalton and Dakota Klemptner, are doing a lawn service this spring and summer to earn money and would love to get some yards in Tira to mow.” It’s called DJK Lawn Service and my number 903-438-6098.” She added that people can, also, look them up on Facebook.
I always need and appreciate input from my friends to help keep me informed of news in our community. If you have any news pertaining to Tira residents, past or present, please contact me, Jan Vaughn, at 903-438-6688 or [email protected] .
Wildcats Baseball Coach Jerrod Hammack Talks About Wildcats Second Straight Win
Wildcats Baseball Coach Jerrod Hammack said he has built the Wildcats program the past 14 years on pitching the defense and during the last two district games, both wins, that formula has returned.
Tuesday night, April 16, despite only getting one hit, the Wildcats used strong pitching and defense to eke out a 1-0 victory over Mount Pleasant at Wildcat Park.
KSST received some erroneous information concerning Tuesday night’s game. The Wildcats’ Game Changer site indicated two pitchers shared in the Tuesday night shutout. In reality, Will Sims went all seven innings for a complete game four hit shutout. The site also credited Jase Thompson with a ground ball that scored a run. In truth, Sims drove the lone run with a clutch double. Austin Dodd walked, stole second and was balked to third and then scored on Sim’s key hit.
For the second straight game, the Wildcats committed no errors. Coach Hammack said the Wildcats have worked hard on their defense. He senses that the Wildcats confidence level is rising and he says he believes that confidence level is where it needs to be right now.
The victory over Mount Pleasant was very significant in that it gives the Wildcats the tiebreaker over Mount Pleasant, should the two teams end up tied.
The Wildcats are 4-8 in district play. They are one game behind 5-7 Royse City but the Bulldogs have the tiebreaker advantage over the Wildcats.
The Wildcats are two games behind 6-6 Mount Pleasant. The two teams play again Thursday at Mount Pleasant and the Wildcats can reduce the deficit to just one game.
Royse City and Mount Pleasant play each other and Coach Hammack is trying to figure out who he should root for.
The Wildcats have their work cut out for them next week as they will face district leader Texas High, 10-2, at Texarkana next Tuesday and then at Wildcat Park on Senior Night on April 26.
Lady Cats Softball Coach David Carrillo Comments On Disappointing Senior Night Loss Tuesday
Lady Cats Softball Coach David Carrillo said the Lady Cats just did not play well in their 9-1 Senior Night loss to Mount Pleasant Tuesday night, April 16, at Lady Cat Park.
Both teams are now tied for first place with 7-2 records. If both teams win their final district game on Thursday, both teams will be co-champs. Mount Pleasant would be the district’s #1 playoff seed because of their two wins over the Lady Cats in district play.
Coach Carrillo said it was tough watching his seniors go out on Senior Night like that. He said a team is not going to win getting just two hits. He said Mount Pleasant just hit the ball better than the Lady Cats did. Coach Carrillo said the Mount Pleasant pitcher seems to have the Lady Cats’ number this season. The Lady Cats have collected only five hits and scored only two runs over 14 innings in their two losses to Mount Pleasant.
He said the Lady Cats need to move on and do it real quick because they have a key game Thursday at Texas High. If the Lady Cats lose Thursday, they would have to have a second and third playoff seed determining game on Monday against Texas High.
Xavier Cork Signs To Be a Catamount of Western Carolina on Signing Day
Wildcats 6-foot-9 senior post Xavier Cork signed a letter of intent Wednesday, April 17, to play college basketball for the Western Carolina Catamounts. Western Carolina is located in Cullowhee, North Carolina.
Cork, the son of the late Kevin Cork and Reshemah Wright, said the Catamounts scouted him at the Wildcats bi-district game against John Tyler. They told him they liked the way he played, crashing the boards, boxing out and running the court.
Cork said he visited Cullowhee and found it to be a pretty place with trees, flowers and the mountains of western North Carolina. Cork believes he will play some center and power forward for the Catamounts.
He said his years of going head to head with former Wildcats Victor Iwuakor and Godsgift Ezedinma helped him develop his skills. Cork told Wildcats Coach Clark Cipoletta last summer that he was serious about spending more time to improve his overall game.
To adapt for the next level, Cork said he needs to work on his jump shot and on handling the ball. Cork began to hit three point baskets as this year’s season progressed. He said he was proud the Wildcats went to the state tournament, calling it a very big deal.
Cork plans to study kinesiology and hopes one day to become a basketball coach.
Wildcat Keaston Willis Officially Signs Letter to Play Basketball at Incarnate Word
Wildcats senior guard Keaston Willis made it official on National Basketball Signing Day Wednesday, April 17. Willis, the son of Leanne Willis and Lonnie Gusters, signed a letter of intent to play college basketball at The University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio.
Willis verbally committed to them several months ago. Willis said Incarnate Word first showed interest in him when he was in the eighth grade, but then it fell off until his senior year.
He said Incarnate Word’s football team won their conference and he said the Cardinal’s basketball team is very young. Willis said they are in need of a scorer and he said he can fill that role. He said they have indicated that they may use him some at shooting guard and some at point guard, just like Wildcats Coach Clark Cipoletta did this year.
Willis said he’ll have to adapt to the increased speed of the college game and he said he needs to work on being a play maker for others.
Willis missed eight district games this season due to a small fracture to an ankle. He said the injury has completely healed on its own without the need for surgery.
Willis said he plans to study kinesiology in college.
Woman Jailed For Allegedly Attempting To Get Medicine With Fake Prescription
Sulphur Springs Police arrested a 58-year-old Big Sandy woman who allegedly tried to obtain controlled substances using a fake prescription.
Cindy Lynn Dunn, who is reported to be employed as a Project Restore organization counselor, was arrested Tuesday for fraudulent use or possession of a Schedule III prescription, according to arrest reports.
Sulphur Springs Police Sgt. Josh Shufeldt was dispatched at 7:15 p.m. Tuesday, April 16, at a South Broadway Street pharmacy to the pharmacy to a complaint of a person trying to pick up a fake prescription.
Shufeldt reported contacting the pharmacist and was told the woman had dropped off two prescriptions for a controlled substance that had been photocopied. The pharmacist reported he had contacted the doctor and was told it was not a valid prescription. In fact, the alleged prescriptions didn’t belong to the woman either, the officer noted in arrest reports. Consequently, Dunn was arrested on the charge. She was released from the county jail Wednesday. Her bond was set at $10,000 on the charge, according to jail reports.
KSSTRadio.com publishes Sulphur Springs Police Department reports and news. The Police Department is located at 125 Davis St., Sulphur Springs, Texas. Non-emergency calls can be made to (903) 885-7602.
If you have an emergency dial 9-1-1.
The Sulphur Springs Police Department continues to serve its citizens with pride in its overall mission and will strive to provide the best possible police force in the 21st century.
If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1
The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.
Police: 5 Teens Charged Following Investigation Into Vehicle Theft, Burglaries
An investigation into a rash of car burglaries and a vehicle theft reported over the weekend resulted in five arrests and clearing of most of the cases, Sulphur Springs Police Detective David Gilmore said Wednesday.
“A juvenile arrest early Sunday morning provide insight that helped clear cases of burglaries and a vehicle theft reported on the 12th and 13th,”Gilmore said.
Investigators spent most of Monday and quite a bit of Tuesday following up on leads and conducting interviews as the vehicle burglary and vehicle theft cases developed.
Officials recovered property taken from one burglary Sunday that allegedly connected a 15-year-old taken into custody as a runaway and 17-year-old Jumierquai Doverieay “Jaime” Davison, 17, of Sulphur Springs to the Sunday burglaries, according to Gilmore
Davison was arrested Monday afternoon on the misdemeanor charges of burglary of a vehicle and prohibited weapon-knuckles, according to arrest reports. The juvenile also incurred charges for his alleged involvement, according to the detective.
Additional evidence related to the vehicle burglaries April 12-13 and the vehicle theft April 13 was recovered and eventually resulted in four arrests.
“Some suspects involved confessed on seven vehicle burglaries and the stolen vehicle from the 100 block of Harred Street. We charged the four involved Friday night, one juvenile and three adults, with engaging in organized criminal activity,” Gilmore said.
Jumierquai Doverieay “Jaime” Davison, 18-year-old Kelley Waterhouse and 17-year-old Clarence Ofield III, all of Sulphur Springs, were charged Tuesday with engaging in organized criminal activity, specifically for their alleged unauthorized use of a the Mercury Mountaineer on April 13 from Harred Street. A 16-year-old juvenile was also reportedly charged for involvement in the vehicle theft as well, according to Gilmore.
The investigator said, while the investigation cleared many of the burglaries and even resulted in some stolen property being recovered, the criminal activity charge specified the unauthorized use of the vehicle as it is the higher of the offenses.
According to Gilmore, these burglary and theft cases should serve as a reminder to community members to lock their vehicles and remove all wallets, purses, valuables, electronics, keys and money from them. The cases involved unlocked vehicles. The stolen vehicle, which was recovered from Lamar Street where it’d been left parked, had also reportedly been left unlocked and the keys left inside of it.
Meet Jeff Gravens, New Pastor at First Baptist Church, Sulphur Springs
In a KSST Good Morning Show interview, Pastor Jeff Gravens introduced himself to the Hopkins County community. He is the new pastor at First Baptist Church of Sulphur Springs, and will bring his first sermon on Sunday April 21, 2019, on Easter Sunday morning. He invites everyone to attend at 8:30 am or 11 am where both classic and contemporary services are conducted at First Baptist Church in downtown Sulphur Springs. He and his family are eager to meet everyone in the community.
10 Students From 5 Schools Named 2019 Hopkins County Bright Star Scholars
Students from five county high schools were recognized Tuesday night as the very first Hopkins County Bright Star Scholars.
Honorees include Akayshia Smith,Cumby ISD; Faith Wheeler and Amy Sprague, North Hopkins ISD; Nathan Valenzuela, Saltillo ISD; Casey Bass, Sulphur Bluff ISD; and Jennifer Lopez-Cervantes, Maddie Millsap, Madelyn Ray, Rhett Reid and Landry Tyson, Sulphur Springs ISD.
Each of the 10 students were awarded a $4,000 per semester scholarship from the John and Deborah Gillis Foundation, renewable for up to eight semesters, to pay for college, up to total of $32,000 each.
Any Bright Star Scholar who graduates college in less than four years can continue to apply the rest of their award, $4,000 per semester through the full fourth year or eight semesters toward graduate school, if they choose to pursue a master’s degree or higher.
The selection process was difficult due to the high caliber of students applying for the scholarships, but using the rubric scale established to evaluate each application and part of the process, they believe the best choices were selected, according to John Gillis and Foundation Executive Director Robin Schrode.
“This is a wonderful group of students that interviewed. It was so hard to pick just 10,” said John Gillis during a recognition ceremony Tuesday for the Bright Star Scholars.
“That was some tough competition. As a county, I want you all to be so proud of the young people of this county that’s going to move forward and become the adults that’s going to leading you further into the 21st century. They are amazing, absolutely amazing,” Shrode said.
She commended the parents of the 2019 Bright Star Scholars for the “incredible job” they’ve done raising “some of the brightest, kindest, caring-beyond-themselves young adults I’m going to have the pleasure of meeting and working with.”
“Bright Star Scholars, this is only the beginning of my relationship with you. I get to take this four year ride with you and I am so excited. I can’t wait to see what each one of you are doing with your lives. I know you are not only going to represent the foundation well but you are going to represent your families and community as well,” Shrode told the Bright Star Scholars.
Gillis said he hopes this effort to help 10 students annually will be the start of a movement, to really get the ball rolling, to produce additional ways to increase the number of students receiving financial assistance to continue education beyond high school annually.
The scholarship program is the second platform of the Gillis Foundation’s commitment to local education.
In February, the foundation awarded three grants – one each to Como-Pickton, Sulphur Bluff and Cumby school districts – for a total of $100,000 for innovative programs in their schools. The purposes of the grants are to support schools are they prepare students who graduate from high school to be college and career ready whatever their life goals may be.
The grant funding’s intentions are ultimately to increase Hopkins County graduates’ chances of competing in a global society for college entrances of their choice and competitive career opportunities.
Information regarding the process of applying for the Grants to Schools and Bright Star Scholarship programs can be found on the foundation’s website: www.jdgillisfoundation.org
