Two Como Residents Arrested on Highway 11W for Possession; One for Tampering with Evidence
A traffic stop on State Highway 11W just east of Country Road 4706 at 1:40 a.m. Friday morning resulted in the arrest of Brandon Lee Flanery, 36 of Como, and Heather Lynn Maroney, 28, of Como (no picture available). Both were charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 more than 1-gram but less than 4-grams. Maroney was also charged with Tampering with Evidence.
Flanery was driving the 2002 Pontiac Sunfire and both he and Maroney seemed nervous when the Hopkins County Deputy approached. Flanery gave consent to search the vehicle. The deputy had both exit the vehicle and began a pat down of Flanery. While searching Flanery, the deputy asked Maroney to step to the back of the vehicle. The deputy asked more than once. She did not. She was acting as though she was grabbing a pack of cigarettes and her cell phone, according to the deputy’s report. He reminded Maroney of the instructions to come to the back of the vehicle and that she had not been asked to bring anything with her. After searching Flanery’s pockets and Maroney’s hooded sweatshirt, the deputy stepped to the passenger side of the vehicle and found, on the ground approximately two to three feet from the passenger door, several cut straws used for snorting contraband, a glass pipe with burnt residue inside, and a clear plastic baggie containing a crystal like substance believed to be methamphetamine. Both Flanery and Maroney denied ownership of the contraband.
Both are in Hopkins County Jail.
Some Highways Remain Closed Due to Flooding in Hopkins County Area
As of Friday morning, December 28, 2018, a few roads remain closed in the area following heavy rains Wednesday night. According to the Texas Department of Transportation:
FM 69 between FM 1537 and Dike is closed.
FM 71 between FM2653 and FM 1531 is closed.
FM 1567 west of Miller Grove is closed.
FM 275 between FM 514 and State Highway 19 is flooded.
This graphic warns about driving around barricades during a flood, and encourages people to be safe. The text reads as follows: "Please do not drive around barricades. Be safe."
Created by Loretta Kuo.
Original photo by Steve Zumwalt/FEMA. Location: West Alton, Mo., June 6, 2013 — Missouri Route 94 flooded.
Hearts of Life Animal Rescue Presents Fat Fat
Fat Fat is approximately 3-4 years old. Her beautiful calico colors consist primarily of the blue & creme colors. Fat Fat is extremely lazy and enjoys watching Videos for Cats on YouTube. She spends the remaining part of her day eating, sleeping and making biscuits on anything she touches. Fat Fat is also feline leukemia positive so she needs to be the only cat in the household. (Feline leukemia cannot be transmitted to other animal breeds or humans) Fat Fat is an indoor only cat. She would be the perfect pet for an elderly person who is needing an easy going, easy to maintain companion.
Fat Fat’s adoption fee is $100.00 which includes all previous vetting, spay and rabies shot. If you are interested in Fat Fat or have any other questions, please contact Hearts of Life Animal Rescue. You may call 903-439-5019, email [email protected] or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/heartsoflife.
Meal a Day Gets Donation from Food Truck Food Drive
Two local family-owned food vendors had a desire to help a local worthy cause during the holidays. The Meal a Day program was selected, and during the Christmas weekend, the families assisted the Meal a Day program with a unique food drive on Saturday December 22, 2018.
David and Kimberly Slaughter of Slaughter’s BBQ and Glenn Norfleet of Fireside BBQ set up their Food Trucks on the parking lot of Fix N Feed in Sulphur Springs. During the “Food Truck Food Drive” they dispensed free hot dogs, chips and water to people who made donations of cash, checks and non-perishables. They raised $91.00 and a lot of canned foods for the Meal A Day Program.
The Sulphur Springs Seniors Center is the local headquarters of Meal a Day, where lunches for Seniors and shut-ins are prepared, served and delivered on weekdays. Karon Weatherman, Director of the Seniors Center also heads up the Meal a Day program. These lunches are delicious, nutritious and appealing, and are of a generous size, often sufficing for two servings through the day. Through the helping hands of a volunteer staff of dedicated individuals, the Meal a Day kitchen turns out an average of 100 meals per weekday, year round.
Shown in Photo L. to R: Kimberly, Lexie and Kayla Slaughter of Slaughter’s BBQ, Karon Weatherman Director of Seniors Center, and Mary Ivey who is a Meal a Day volunteer and 2018 Ms. Hopkins County Senior.
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.
