Tira News: Dec 28th, 2018
By Jan Vaughn
We want to express our sympathy to the family of Eddie Gray. He passed away on Thursday and his funeral service was on Monday, under the direction of Harrison Funeral Home in Naples, Texas. I appreciate Linda Petty letting me know. Please be in prayer for the family.
William and Joyce Dodd had Christmas lunch and their “family tree” on
Christmas Day. Joyce reports that all the family was together to celebrate. Guests of William and Joyce were Michael McNiel, Jerry and Tonja Lucus, Maegan, Alyssa, Gavin, and Ethan Shelton, Maegan’s friend Matt, Rob, Brad, Tanya, Matthew, and Trenton Dodd, Trenton’s girlfriend, Melony Huffman, Mandi Owens, Mari Quebedeaux, Stuart, Tiffany, Tristen, Emery, Elliana, and Eadon McPherson. Joyce says, “We had 25 people in all. It was a wonderful Christmas for our whole family. We would like to wish
everyone a very blessed New Year.”
The Tira City Council would like to thank everyone who brought canned food to the Community Christmas Party for the Tira Food Pantry. Donations are always appreciated.
Chip and I spent Thursday night through Saturday, December 13-15, at The
Villages Resort on Lake Palestine. We did some Christmas shopping in Tyler on Friday and Saturday. The stores and streets were crowded and we decided we should start earlier next year. We ended up ordering most of our gifts online.
Chip and I attended a small Christmas party with friends at the home of Keith and Frances Klein on Thursday, December 20th. Those attending were Shirley Charles, Phil and Carla Kenley, Chip and myself, and the hosts. We enjoyed snack foods and playing games.
The Tira Community Center had some water damage from a broken pipe in the men’s restroom. It has been cleaned up and dried out and is still usable, but some repairs will be required. The Council will meet soon to discuss the options, after hearing from the insurance adjuster.
On Friday afternoon, December 21st, Chip and I drove to Conroe and spent the night at Piney Shores Resort. The next morning we went to Sour Lake and picked up our great-granddaughter, Dixie, and brought her back to spend Christmas with Landon, Laiken, and her brothers Rylan, Brailon, and Slaiden.
Tiffany Vaughn and Jaidyn Joslin spent Wednesday evening through Saturday, December 20-22, in Malvern, Arkansas. They celebrated Christmas with Tiffany’s fiancé, Perry Gilbert, and his family.
Michael and Tracy Horn and their family and Tonja Horn and Will Hudson and their family spent a few days with Michael and Tonja’s mother, Liz Steinsiek, at her Tira cabin over the holidays. Tiffany, Jaidyn, Chip and I enjoyed visiting with them on Monday, before Michael had to leave for work. He is a pilot for Southwest Airlines.
Landon, Laiken, & the kids celebrated Christmas with Laiken’s family on
Christmas Eve.
Our family attended the Christmas Eve service at First Baptist Church in Sulphur Springs, and then Chip and I hosted a Christmas lunch on Christmas Day. It was good to have our family all together. Joining us to celebrate were our children, Tiffany and Delayne, and our grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Morgan, Kenden, Jaidyn, Landon, Laiken, Dixie, Rylan, Brailon, and Slaiden, Chip’s mother Grace, and Kenden’s friend, Whitney. Malcolm Joslin came by and stayed for lunch. Also, Elizabeth Steinsiek and Tonja Horn came by for a short visit, before Tonja had to return to Chicago. We had turkey and dressing and all the fixings. The kids took advantage of the nice, warm weather and played on the riding toys in the driveway.
I’m sure that many other families celebrated the holiday together. I hope to have more reports next week. I want to wish you all a very happy New Year!
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 903-945-2190 or 903-438-6688 or [email protected]
Elected Officials to Receive Oath of Office January 1
Tuesday, January 1, 2019, at 10 a.m. in the District Courtroom of the Hopkins County Courthouse, nine elected officials will receive the oath of office for new terms of service.
Receiving the Oath of Office include newly elected:
· County Court At Law Judge Clay Harrision
· Precinct 2 Commissioner Greg Anglin
· Precinct 4 Commissioner Joe Price
· Treasurer Danny Davis
· County Clerk Tracy Smith
Re-elected officials to receive the Oath of Office include:
· County Judge Robert Newsom
· Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Judge BJ Teer
· Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace Judge Brad Cummings
· District Clerk Cheryl Fulcher
A Year in Review – Master Wellness Volunteer Initiative By Johanna Hicks
Note: This is the 4th in a series of “A Year in Review,” highlighting major program efforts in the area of Family & Community Health.
In the United States, 80% of all health spending is related to chronic conditions – things like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and others. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these costs can be managed and potentially reduced through education and lifestyle modifications.
Relevance:
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Hopkins County provides many opportunities for individuals to learn to take better control of their health. However, there is a limit to the programming that one person can implement. Volunteers contribute greatly to extend education further into the community. A group of trained volunteers who also serve as advocates for Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service can substantially increase the scope and impact of wellness programs. The Master Wellness Volunteer Initiative provides volunteers with 40 hours of training on health, nutrition and food safety. In return, volunteers are empowered to provide outreach and education, helping reduce the burden of chronic conditions in Texas communities.
Volunteer opportunities are plentiful. For those who enjoy meeting and mingling with others, health fairs offer the perfect opportunity! Perhaps being behind the scenes is more comfortable for others. Great! I often need assistance in preparing materials, stuffing goody bags, shopping for supplies and ingredients, and making phone calls. If hands-on activities are desired, several 4-H projects and activities offer the perfect opportunity to assist youth. I work closely with the current Master Wellness Volunteers to keep them up-to-date on opportunities for involvement, as well as professional development.
Response:
Hopkins County has nine trained Master Wellness Volunteers. A newsletter, “Volunteer Connection”, is sent out six or more times per year to keep in touch with volunteers and to announce opportunities to assist with various events and programs.
Volunteers are recognized annually at the Extension Leadership Advisory Board banquet, as well as at each event in which they participate. Their activities are also highlighted in each edition of the “Volunteer Connection” newsletter. Two Master Wellness Volunteer Luncheons also provide opportunities to fellowship and receive professional development training. These are held in the spring (April) and winter (December).
Results:
In 2018, Master Wellness Volunteers contributed over 500 volunteer hours, reaching nearly 3,000 individuals. Some of the activities with which they assisted were: health fairs (Sulphur Springs, Como-Pickton, and Cumby); Back to School Bash; Do Well Be Well with Diabetes series; Cooking Well with Diabetes series; Walk & Talk series; Christmas Joys holiday program; Fall Festival Creative Arts Contest; 4-H Foods Fun Day; 4-H Sewing Fun Day; Spring Break Sewing Workshop; Twogether in Texas marriage education workshop lunches; Ag-in-the-Classroom; Kids’ Camp: Fun, Food Fitness; Skills Camp; Judges’ Training for Fairs, Festivals, and Events; and planning meetings.
A recent luncheon hosted at the Extension Office welcomed four new potential Master Wellness Volunteers, and current volunteers told about the activities with which they had been involved.
Looking Forward:
In January, 2019, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will convene a statewide training for new Master Wellness Volunteers…and you don’t even have to leave Hopkins County! Two in-person sessions will be held at the Hopkins County Extension Office, and the rest of the training will be conducted online. No reliable computer? No problem! You are welcome to use ours!
The first in-person session will take place on Tuesday, January 22, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Hopkins County Extension Office, 1200-B W. Houston, Sulphur Springs. For more information, visit http://agrilife.org/mwv or feel free to call me at 903-885-3443. The fee is $75 if you register by January 14, so don’ delay! This is a fantastic opportunity to get involved doing things you love, while helping others!
Closing Thought
“There are no strangers here – only friends you have not met.” William Butler Yeats
Recipe of the Week
Pumpkin Spice Latte
Make this wonderful beverage for your coffee-loving friends – or enjoy a cup for yourself!
Ingredients:
- ½ cup breakfast blend coffee
- 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup milk
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 qt. (4 cups) water
Instructions:
1) Place coffee and spices in filter in brew basket of coffee maker.
2) Add water to coffee maker.
3) Put milk and sugar in empty pot of coffee maker.
4) Brew coffee. When brewing is complete, stir until blended.
To give as a gift, measure the first three ingredients into a zippered bag and the sugar in another. Attach instructions for completing the beverage.
Willis Scores 29 in Wildcat Victory at 61st Annual Whataburger Tournament
Keaston Willis scored 29 points to lead the Wildcats to victory in their first round game at the 61st Annual Whataburger Basketball Tournament Thursday. The Wildcats defeated Class 6A #18 Katy Morton Ranch, 67-60. The championship team in each of the three brackets of the tournament will bring home a $1,000 scholarship for their school. Finals are Saturday.
The first round win sends the Wildcat into Friday for a 2 p.m. game against the winner of the Justin Northwest vs. Duncanville game. The Friday game will be played at the Birdville ISD W. G. Thomas Coliseum in Haltom City.
Along with Willis 29 pts, DaDa Hall scored 14, Cameron Kahn put up 13, Xavier Cork added 5 and Jeremiah Roland and Grayson McClure scored 3 each.
The Wildcats are now 13-6 for the season and are 4-4 against ranked class 6-A teams.
Donation Made to Meal-A-Day
Shown in Photo: Kimberly, Lexie and Kayla Slaughter, Karon Weatherman ,
and Mary Ivey, 2018, Ms. Hopkins County Senior and Meal A Day Volunteer
Slaughter’s BBQ and Fireside BBQ teamed up on Saturday, December 22nd and did a Fund Raiser and Canned Food Drive for the Meal A Day Program.
David and Kimberly Slaughter along with Glenn Norfleet set up their Food Trucks in front of Fix N Feed and held a “Food Truck Food Drive”. They raised $ 91.00 and a lot of Canned Food for the Meal A Day Program. They gave out FREE Hot Dogs, Chips and Water when people made a donation.
Lady Cats Advance to Championship Bracket in Idabel Winter Classic
Lady Cats defeated Arkansas High of Texarkana 54-41 in the first game of the Idabel Winter Classic in Idabel, Oklahoma Thursday morning. The Lady Cats have now won 16 including 7 wins in a row. The Lady Cats have only lost 3 games this season.
The Lady Cats advance in tournament play and will face either Idabel or Northwest Classen of Oklahoma City at 4 p.m. Friday in the Championship Bracket of the Winter Classic.
Thunderstorms Produce Heavy Rain and Minor Flooding in Hopkins County
Reports of from 2.5 inches to over 5 inches of rain were made from across Hopkins County Thursday morning as a series of lines of thunderstorms moved across the region Wednesday night and into early Thursday morning. Due to minor flooding discovered Thursday morning, the local Community Chest and Food Pantry will be closed Thursday and a flood warning has been issued for the South Sulphur River along the Hopkins, Delta County lines. Other minor flooding has been noted in the county as well.
Rainfall amounts include 2.5 inches at Pickton with wind, loud thunder, and heavy rain. At Rocky Ridge, just over 2.5 inches of rain was reported. In Cornersville, the 5-inch measuring gauge was overflowing and all sizes of limbs were down. Wood County Electric, which supplies electrical power to that area, was also reporting outages through the night.
The Community Chest and Food Pantry, 217 Linda Driver, Sulphur Springs, will be closed due to flooding, Thursday, December 27, according to staff.
A Flood Warning has been issued until Friday morning, December 28th, for the South Sulphur River near Cooper. At 5:15 a.m. Thursday the stage was 18.02 feet. Flood stage is 16 feet. Minor flooding is occurring and minor flooding is forecast. The river will continue rising to a crest near 19 feet and should fall below flood stage some time Thursday.
At 20 feet moderate out of bank flooding will occur along the river reach. A few rural roads and farm and ranch land adjacent to the river will be flooded. Do not drive vehicles through the flooded areas. Use caution when walking near riverbanks.
Significant Weather Advisory for Hopkins, Rains, Delta, Lamar Counties
AT 9:40 p.m., Doppler Radar was tracking a line of strong thundertorms from Honey Grove to near Canton, Movement was northeast at 50 mph. Wind Gusts up to 50 mph will be possible in these storms. Sulphur Springs and Hopkins County along with Emory, Cumby, Cooper, Como, and other cities are included in the advisory area.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with these storms and may lead to localized flooding.
HE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED TORNADO WATCH IN
EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM CST THURSDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS
IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS RAINS and VAN ZANDT COUNTIES
Miller Grove, Saltillo Cross Country Team Members Named to All-State Teams
Saltillo and Miller Grove Cross Country Team members were named to All-State teams recently.
MileSplit Boys 2018 All-State Cross Country Teams includes 1st Team All State Isaiah Billingsley, Miller Grove and Garrett Tarver, Saltillo. Matthew Bignon and Grant Earp of Miller Grove were named third team and Jayden Holloway, Saltillo, is Honorable Mention
Cross Country Coaches Association of Texas All-State Team named Tarver of Saltillo and Billingsley and Earp of Miller Grove along with Kobe Robertson, Lance Verner Davis, and Matthew Brignon of Miller Grove. There are 15 1A Boys on the Coaches Association All-State Team.
Berger Officials Expected at Local Facility Thursday
Due to the dollar amount loss sustained in a fire Monday at Berger Horticulture, federal fire investigators with the ATF will be on scene this week. Assisted by the Sulphur Springs Fire Marshall, they will seek the cause of the fire that destroyed the industrial facility located in Hopkins County on State Highway 19N near Birthright. Local fire personnel have been on sight since the fire and were to remain until investigators take charge of the scene, according to County Fire Chief Andy Endsley.
Berger officials are expected at the facility Thursday. Their access to the facility will be depend on the completion of the investigation of the fire.
