Chaffer’s Place Academy and Arts Offers Musical and Homeschool Education
Bringing a background of performing arts as well as homeschool skills, Kenya Duffey Chaffer and her husband Charles Chaffer have opened a first-of-it’s kind school in Sulphur Springs. On Tuesday January 29, 2019, the Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting at Chaffer’s Place Academy and Arts located near downtown at 410 Main Street. Kenya and Charles opened the doors of their building to a host of friends and family who came to welcome the new business.
Always a singer, Kenya was raised in Sulphur Springs and found a career in gospel and other genres of music. After some years making appearances for audiences around the country with their big band, the couple began to dream of starting a school to encourage youth to make good use of their natural talents. Kenya also had successfully homeschooled her children, so including that became another part of their dream. A Grand Opening of Chaffer’s Place will be announced in February when the public will be invited see the completed facility.
Classes are now forming for ages 7 and up in Homeschool Curriculum with a Bible Core. Music classes, clinics and private lessons for youth and adults will be offered in Vocal Training and Coaching, Drum lessons and Beginner Piano. For more information, phone 470-848-2246.
Homecoming at North Hopkins Crowns Brantley as Queen, Wyatt as King
On Friday (January 25, 2019) North Hopkins High school held their annual homecoming game and coronation.
That evening the North Hopkins High school Panthers varsity boys and girls basketball teams played against the Cumby Trojans. The varsity boys had a victorious win of 56- 37, as did the varsity girls with a score of 44-19.
At the end of the evening, the homecoming Court presented itself before the audience. The princesses and princes were escorted by one anther.
Maddie Pogue, and Kenden Farelle were selected as the Freshman (9th grade) princess, and prince,
Abigail Whaley, and Allan Alvarez came forth as the Sophomore (10th grade) prince, and princess.
Ashley Aguilar, and Mario Perez were the junior class princess and prince.
As for our king and Queen nominees. There was Teagan Brantley, Faith Wheeler, Amy Sprague, and Breeanna Hicks all in the running for queen. In the king’s pool were nominees Caleb Wyatt, Victorino Rojo, Bryson Sims, and Evan Lewis. In the end only one of each pool were crowned. Of these were Teagan Brantley, as queen. And Caleb Wyatt, as king.
Lady Cats Softball Scrimmage Tough Competition
The Lady Cats’ softball team dropped a pair of scrimmage games in blustery weather in Forney Monday. Forney, the defending Class 5A State Champion, topped the Lady Cats, 1-0. Class 6A Plano East downed the Lady Cats, 5-2.
In the Forney contest, the Lady Cats collected only 2 hits and they made 2 errors. Sierra Smith and Addison Caddell had the Lady Cats hits. Maddie Millsap, Brinkley Driver and Smith drew walks. Bailey Haggerty deserved a better fate in the circle. She allowed only 1 run and three hits over 4 innings.
Against Plano East, Tessa Holt pitched two innings and Caddell pitched the third inning. Plano East had a two-run homer in the top of the first but the Lady Cats got a run back in the bottom of the first. Plano East added three unearned runs in the third inning. The Lady Cats got a run in the bottom of the third. The game ended after three innings due to a time limit. Both teams got three hits and both teams made an error.
Lady Cats Coach David Carrillo said the Lady Cats’ error was partially due to the strong wind. Kelsey Wallace had two hits for the Lady Cats. Coach Carrillo said the Lady Cats played well against the two tough teams. He called the wind brutal and said it was very cold. The weather is expected to be warmer for a scrimmage Saturday in Rockwall. There might be a slight chance of rain.
The Lady Cats play host Rockwall and The Colony back to back starting at 11:45 a.m.
Tanton Named to TASW All-State Volleyball Team
Lady Cats Volleyball Coach Justin Maness said Lady Cats senior middle hitter Autumn Tanton has been named to the Texas Association of Sports Writers All-State Volleyball Team for the second straight year. Tanton was a third team All-State selection.
Coach Maness said only 9 players in Texas were selected as middle hitters on the All-State Team. Tanton was an Honorable Mention Selection on last year’s TSWA All-State Team. Tanton was the district’s Most Valuable Hitter this year. She was also on the All-District Academic Team. Last Year Tanton was a first team all-district player and was also on the All-District Academic Team.
Coach Maness said Tanton was very deserving of the All-State selection. Coach Maness, a former coach as Paris Junior College, said Tanton is the type of player he would be recruiting if he were still a college coach. He said Tanton has a very high volleyball IQ. Coach Maness said Tanton was a complete player both at the net and also passing and serving from the back row. He acknowledged that Tanton is drawing quite a bit of interest from college coaches.
AgriLife: Tomato Grafting Workshop Set for February 7, 2019
According to Purdue Extension, vegetable grafting has attracted tomato growers’ attention as an approach to control soilborne diseases and improve crop yield. By grafting scion plants that have desirable fruit characteristics onto rootstock plants that have disease resistance, stress tolerance, or vigorous root system characteristics, grafted plants combine beneficial traits from both the scion and rootstock plants.
Many growers who are interested in growing grafted tomatoes may be hindered by the high cost of already grafted plants. Growers may prefer to graft their own tomato plants to reduce costs or increase cultivar selection (including the selection of organic seeds).
With the purpose of educating community and master gardeners alike, the Hopkins County Extension Office has planned the Tomato Grafting Workshop with Dr. Joe Masabni, vegetable specialist for Texas A&M AgriLife Extension scheduled for February 7, 2019 starting at 1:00 PM at the Hopkins County Extension Office located at 1200B Houston Street in Sulphur Springs. The cost of the Tomato Grafting Workshop is $10 to cover supplies cost. Attendees will keep 2 tomato plants to take home. Limited to 30 participants. To attend please call 903-885-3443 to RSVP.
A&M-Commerce College of Business Earns AACSB Reaccreditation
COMMERCE, TX— The College of Business at A&M-Commerce has received a five-year extension of accreditation from AACSB International, an association founded in 1916 to advance quality management education worldwide. The college has been AACSB accredited since 1976.
“Reaffirmation of our long-held AACSB accreditation is a direct reflection of the outstanding work and transformational learning that occurs every day in the College of Business,” said Dr. Shanan Gibson, dean of the college. “My congratulations go to all of the faculty, staff and students whose hard work and accomplishments are recognized by the accreditation process.”
Antonio Goodson, senior associate with AACSB Accreditation Data Management, informed the college of the reaccreditation. “Congratulations to you, the faculty, students, staff and all supporters of the school,” he said.
The AACSB website states that accreditation signals to the world that an institution has met the most rigorous standards of excellence in business education. Institutions that bear the AACSB-accredited mark demonstrate that they are committed to upholding—and advancing—the quality of their programs both at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
According to Gibson, several of the college’s high-impact outcomes and practices were commended by AACSB including the Center for Excellence’s training and consulting activities, the Business Leadership Council’s successful engagement of alumni and community members, and the university administration’s support of a high-quality business program.
The AACSB website also states that AACSB-accredited schools are considered to be the best business schools in the world. Their undergraduate and graduate degree programs have passed rigorous standards for quality. AACSB-accredited schools have better programs, better faculty, better students with higher overall GPAs, more international students, more employers that recruit from them and graduates that receive better salaries.
“The reaccreditation is an achievement we are all very proud of,” Gibson concluded.
SSSA Online Soccer Registration is Open Until February 4
Online registration for Sulphur Springs Soccer Association is underway. The registration for Sulphur Springs Soccer Association Season ends February 4th. On February 2nd from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. there will be a walk up registration event at Hibbett Sports, located at 1402 Mockingbird Lane in Sulphur Springs. The Spring draft is February 16th, and games are set to start Saturday, March 16th. The Spring season is coed.
The registrant must be 4 years of age by December 31,2018 up to the age of 18, however, not all age groups are guaranteed a season. Games will play every Saturday at the Grocery Supply Company Soccer Complex, 679 Gossett Lane, AKA Coleman Park. No games will be played Easter Weekend. A single elimination tournament is scheduled for May 18th, but is not guaranteed. The tournament will consist of the top 4 teams from each division U8 and up. There is not a tournament for the U6 age division.
For more information go to: sulphurspringssoccer.org or contact [email protected]
Yantis Man Arrested for Aggravated Assault, Possession of Meth
When deputies were called to an assault that had just occurred on Highway 11E near FM 1870, they found a female who said she had been thrown from a vehicle driven by Shawn Allen Long, 35, of Yantis. Long and the vehicle were not in the area. Deputies learned the possible locations where the subject could be located and set up at the locations awaiting Long’s arrival.
Deputies set up at Motel 6 where the victim and Long had rented a room together and at a residence on State Highway 154 just inside Wood County. A deputy saw the vehicle exit Hopkins county on SH 154 and travel .65 miles inside Wood County. Long was immediately detained.
He stated that the female had used methamphetamine in the hotel room and that the two were in a verbal altercation. He said he attempted to leave the hotel but she jumped into the vehicle. He said they drove away. He said she jumped from the vehicle when he was turning off FM 1870 onto SH 11E. He said that he and the victim had been in a dating relationship for several weeks.
She told deputies with her that he had punched her in the face and head several times before forcefully pushing her from the vehicle. He said she “hit me too”, according to the report.
When Long was arrested, an inventory of the vehicle led to a bag that Long stated belonged to him. Inside the bag was a green chewing tobacco container with several baggies containing a crystal like substance believed to be methamphetamine and pipes commonly used for smoking methamphetamine. An inventory of the hotel room found a pill container with Long’s name on it and in it baggies of a crystal like substance believed to be methamphetamine.
The victim was taken to a local hospital ER by EMS and Long is in Hopkins County Jail charged with Aggravated Assault with Deadly Weapon/Family Violence and with Possession Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1, more than 1-gram but less than 4-grams.
Man Arrested for Aggravated Assault with Deadly Weapon
KEARNEY, JOHNNY GLENN
When Hopkins County Deputies arrived at a disturbance on County Road 3597, the wife of Johnny Glenn Kearney, 43, of Leesburg, said he had a handgun in his hand and had threatened to kill her. She said he had placed the handgun on the dash of their vehicle.
Kearney told officers that he did have a gun but had thrown it in the ditch along the County Road. Deputies recovered the weapon. Kearney attempted to resist arrest by pulling away from the deputies but was secured in hand cuffs.
Kearney is in Hopkins County Jail charged with Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon and Tampering with Physical Evidence.
