Local Man Arrested on Parole Violation; and Unlawful Possession of Firearm by Felon
When Hopkins County Deputies arrested Stephen Lance Boughton, 40, of Sulphur Springs, for Parole Violation, Boughton had in his possession a bolt action 22 rifle that he claimed was a BB gun.
When Boughton claimed the weapon was a BB gun, an examination of the weapon and the serial number on the weapon proved otherwise. Boughton admitted to knowing the weapon was in the room.
Boughton is in Hopkins County Jail held with no bond on the Parole Violation. He is also charged with Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, a Felony 3.
SWAT Team Executes Warrant Search; Two Arrested
A narcotics search warrant executed at an apartment on Calvert Street by Hopkins County Investigators and the Sulphur Springs/Hopkins Count SWAT Team resulted in the arrest of Robert Jason Doucette, 43, and Angela Kay Doucette, 48. Both were charged with Possession Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 more than 1-gram but less than 4-grams and Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 3, less than 28-grams in a Drug Free Zone.
Approximately 2.4-grams of methamphetamine was located and a bag of pills identified as Codeine Hydrochloride.
Hearts of Life Support Food Drive; Adoptable Pets Available
Hearts of Life Animal Rescue will be at Fix and Feed of Sulphur Springs Saturday December 22nd to help support the Food Drive. The Food Drive will benefit The Senior Center in Sulphur Springs.
The public is invited bring any non perishable food item(s) between 10am-2pm. Hearts of Life will have a few adoptable fur babies on site that are still searching for their forever homes as well.
Winter weeds- Burweed By Mario Villarino
Recently, phone calls reached the Hopkins County Extension Office related to lawns infestations with burweed. According to Dr. Shackelford, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension in Austin, nothing designates spring’s arrival like walking barefoot on a lawn of lush, green grass. This pleasant experience can often turn into a painful, sticky situation with the presence of lawn burweed.
Other names for this weed are spurweed and stinging grass. Lawn burweed (Soliva sessilis) is a winter annual that germinates throughout thin turf in the fall months as temperatures cool. It remains small and inconspicuous during the cold winter months.
However, as temperatures warm in the early spring, lawn burweed initiates a period of rapid growth and begins to form spine-tipped burs in the leaf axils. The seed is contained within the hooked bur. Lawn burweed is a low-growing, freely branched winter annual. It has opposite, sparsely hairy leaves that are twice divided into narrow segments or lobes.
Maintain a healthy, dense lawn by fertilizing and liming according to soil test results and mowing at the proper height and frequency for your specific turfgrass. Healthy lawn grasses can out compete burweed for light, water and nutrients and reduce the level of infestation.
The key factor to effectively controlling lawn burweed is to apply a post-emergence herbicide during the winter months of December, January and February. The weed is smaller and easier to control during this time of year and has not yet developed the spine-tipped burs.
Control is not impossible in March, April, and May, but the spines have already formed by this time and will remain after the weed dies. Because lawn burweed is a winter annual, it will begin to die in late spring as air temperatures reach 90 °F. Once the weed has reached a more mature state, multiple herbicide applications may be necessary which increases the potential for turfgrass injury. Dead or alive, lawn burweed poses a painful problem. The only solution to this is early identification and control.
For more information on this or any other agricultural topic please contact the Hopkins County Extension Office at 903-885-3443 or email me at [email protected].
Merry Christmas from the Extension Staff By Johanna Hicks
Christmas is a joyous time for reflecting on the birth and life of Jesus, and how we are impacted by the ultimate gift He gave us. One of my favorite family traditions is that of pulling out a collection of Christmas books, mostly children’s books. I remember growing up in Cleburne, TX, sitting on my daddy’s lap as a child, listening as he read story books to my family.
My family has kept up that tradition. When our kids were young, we would read a different Christmas book every day during the month of December, leading up to Christmas Day. On Christmas morning, we would read Luke, Chapter 2 from the Bible.
Times have changed. Our children are all grown and gone – and some have children of their own, now. However, I still pull out the Christmas books and I even read one to a group of adults at a Christmas party we hosted in our home. I wanted to share a list of some of my favorite Christmas Books with you:
- The Candy Makers’ Gift, by David Heidle
- The Crippled Lamb, by Max Lucado
- The Legend of the Candy Cane, by Lori Walburg
- Itsy Bitsy Christmas, by Max Lucado
- Too Many Tamales, by Gary Soto
- A Precious Moments Christmas, by Thomas Nelson
And of course, The Night Before Christmas is a classic! We have the book and a puzzle (after many years, a few pieces are missing.) When our kids and their families are all home for Christmas this year, we’ll pull out a book or two and read it as a family.
Another family tradition that my grandmother started, was baking goodies and delivering them to neighbors and friends. I remember helping my mom and grandmother in the kitchen, measuring, mixing, pouring, baking, cooling, and wrapping the goodies for delivery. When my husband and I started our family, we continued this with our kids for a while. We wanted to teach them that giving is a blessing!
For those who struggle during the Christmas holidays due to death of a family member, or being away from family, or perhaps not having the means to provide for your family in a way you would desire, focus on the blessings, the quiet reflections of your heart, and perhaps even reach out to others who are in the same situation. A new year is just around the corner, which means new opportunities for a fresh start, renewed spirit, and healthy living. From our Extension staff and my family to you, Merry Christmas!
Upcoming Opportunities
With 2019 quickly approaching, I want to announce some upcoming opportunities.
- Tuesday, January 22: Training for new Master Wellness Volunteers, Extension Office, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Get more information and register on-line at: http://agrilife.org/mwv
- Saturday, January 26: 4-H Sewing Fun Day, Extension Office, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. – call the Extension Office for more details.
- Saturday, February 9: Twogether in Texas Marriage Education workshop, Extension Office, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. – engaged couples will receive a certificate to save $60 upon applying for a marriage license. No charge for the workshop, but we do request that interested couples call to reserve seats so adequate meal preparations can be made.
- February 21-23: Junior Market Show, Civic Center
Closing Thought
Christmas, children, is not a date. It is a state of mind – Mary Ellen Chase
Recipe of the Week
This recipe comes from “The Frugal Gourmet Celebrates Christmas.” It makes 9 Latkes (small pancake-type dish). Enjoy!
Latkes
Ingredients:
- 2 cups peeled, coarsely grated potatoes
- 1 beaten egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ medium yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
- Olive or peanut oil
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup applesauce
Directions:
- Squeeze as much water as possible out of the potatoes.
- In a bowl, mix with the remaining ingredients.
- Place a bit of the mixture spread out to 3 inches in a skillet containing a little olive or peanut oil. Fry until golden brown on both sides.
- Continue with remaining mixture.
- Serve the pancakes with sour cream and applesauce.
SSISD Tax Office Closed for Christmas Break
According to Sandra Gibby, Tax Assessor-Collector for Sulphur Springs ISD, the school tax office, located in the school district administration building, will be closed the following days for Christmas Break:
Friday, Dec., 21st through Wed., Dec. 26th, 2018And Tuesday, January 1st, 2019
North Hopkins Educators Celebrate the Season
Thursday at noon in North Hopkins School Cafeteria, Hal Roberts and Blake Cooper, both retired school superintendents, addressed the administrators, teachers, and staff at the Christmas luncheon for North Hopkins ISD personnel. Dr. Darin Jolly, Superintendent of NHISD introduced the speakers and served as Master of Ceremonies for the event.
Roberts, who taught grades 4-8, was a coach, principal, and superintendent, addressed the educators regarding attributes that teachers need to model and impart to students. He told KSST News that passion, perseverance, and hope were among the traits needed by teachers. Drawing from a book he has recently written and that was presented as a gift to educators present for the event, he used an acrostic for his presentation. He noted that if teachers can kindle hope for students, it will go a long way in building the student’s future. He said passion for teaching is a must for educators.
Cooper, a retired superintendent who had been in education for 32 years, is now Executive Director of Friends of Public School. The non-profit organization is an advocate for public education in the state of Texas. He also has a ministry called Educators Christian Fellowship, which encourages and equips teachers to walk their faith every day when they are out and about and in the classroom. He said he takes offense when people say God is not in the classroom. He said sometimes when the Ten Commandments is posted in a classroom it does not mean that God is there. He said students know God’s love through actions. He said the character and spirit of a teacher’s life is known to their students by the actions of the educator.
TxDOT Seeks Public Input on Texas Rail Plan
AUSTIN — The Texas Department of Transportation is seeking public input on an update to the Texas Rail Plan, which includes a list of current and future rail projects that the public will have the opportunity to learn about and submit comments. The plan also keeps inventory of all rail lines; analyzes rail service goals and contributions to the economy; catalogs and assesses potential infrastructure projects; and examines finance strategies for projects and services.
The public can review and provide input on the plan via the online meeting. There also is a survey and online form to submit public comments until Jan. 8, 2019. These options provide an opportunity for the public to comment on all rail-related issues in Texas, both freight and passenger, as well as existing and future projects and programs.
The rail system is a critical component of our thriving economy, safely connecting industries, ports and people. Per federal requirements, states must have a state rail plan that is updated every four years to establish policy, priorities and implementation strategies for freight and passenger rail in the state.
Alumna Gives $1-Million Gift to A & M Commerce
COMMERCE, TX—Alumna Mary Spencer has recently bequeathed $1 million to A&M-Commerce. Spencer hopes that her gift will give students the extra push needed to graduate, pursue their dreams and make the world a better place. “I love those students who have a passion for learning and leadership and who want to help make a difference in the world. So often, these are the students who haven’t had the same opportunities that I did,” Spencer said.
The university has played an important role in Spencer’s life from her earliest childhood memories. Spencer’s parents were both professors at ETSU, her brother was an ETSU graduate, and she grew up in Commerce. “As a kid, I used to ride my bicycle through the campus, and I always felt like it was an extension of my home and everyday life,” she recalled.
Spencer attended ETSU, was an active member of the Chi Omega fraternity and graduated in 1972 with a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design and a second major in art. Through the years, Spencer has maintained a bond with her fraternity sisters and with the university. “I was actually serving on the foundation board when the decision was made to become a part of the A&M system,” Spencer said.
Philanthropy was an important value in Spencer’s childhood home, and she learned the importance of giving from a young age. “[My parents] were a huge part of Commerce and the university, so it seemed only natural to follow in their footsteps,” Spencer said. With her parents’ encouragement, she gave a part of her allowance to the church Sunday school program, and she cared for the community’s homeless animals. “If everybody can just do something, regardless of the size, whether it’s a gift or a service, it can make a huge difference,” she advised.
Spencer encouraged other alumni to follow in her footsteps. She emphasized that proper planning can positively impact so many lives. “To help the students or to help the school is so valuable,” she emphasized. “I want to see the university thrive and grow, and I feel like this gift was a very good decision on my part to try to be a part of the future growth of the university.”
Ray Garvin, senior director of strategic giving at A&M-Commerce, expressed the university’s gratitude for the planned gift. He said, “Mary’s desire to make an impact in this most meaningful way showcases her love and passion for education and for A&M-Commerce. This gift will not only impact students for generations to come, but it will inspire others to think about their own estate plans and how they too can leave a legacy. We are truly grateful to Mary for her enthusiasm and passion and for wanting to help others in this special way.”
