Dodd Scores Twice and Makes Crucial Defensive Play; Named KSST MVP of the Game Thursday Night
Wildcat Offensive Coordinator Matt Young said, “Austin Dodd did everything.” Young confirmed the choice of KSST Sports in naming Dodd MVP for the Wildcat versus Royse City game Thursday night at Royce City.
Dodd returned a Royse City punt 80 yards for a touchdown including a dramatic dive into the goal line pylon for the score. Dodd may have had help on the dive by a push from a Royce City defender.
In the third quarter, Dodd intercepted a Royce City pass in a play named the Baucom Insurance Defensive Play of the Game by KSST.
On 4th down and 25 yards needed for a first down, Dodd caught a D’Corian Young pass and went 26 yards in a touchdown play that clinched the win for the Wildcats in the 28-10 victory.
Yantis Student Helps Create the First-Ever ‘Yantis Prairie Day’ and Outdoor Community Classroom
Miss Kasey Rhodes, an 11-year-old home-schooled student living with her family at Yantis, Texas started the ball rolling when she arrived home from a family trip to Mexico this Spring to begin a campaign to preserve habitat for migrating Monarch butterflies. Now, in keeping with her interest in nature, Kasey has been instrumental in the creation of Yantis Prairie Day, set for September 29, and a ribbon-cutting at the new Outdoor Community Classroom located on donated land adjacent to Yantis ISD.
According to Kasey, the natural prairie habitat that once covered this part of North Texas was the perfect environment for a host of bird, insect and mammal species that are now close to extermination. The reason? Destruction of their natural habitat. Kasey states “For Monarch butterflies, it is specifically the milkweed plant that they use in their cycle of life. The butterflies migrate from Canada southward through the middle part of the United States, where prairies were once prevalent. The milkweed plant is their host, providing food and a place to lay their eggs and hatch their larvae. Once plentiful, now milkweed is more and more rare due to land and homeowners mowing this down as they cultivate their lawns and hay meadows. If people would just leave little patches of natural growth on their land, the butterflies can find the milkweed and continue their life cycles. It is a similar story with many other species which are now threatened with extinction”. Kasey has presented her “Mayor’s Monarch Initiative” to several city goverments during 2018, hoping to gain more and more support for Monarch habitat.
Next, she met Julie Maddox, a landowner in Wood County who has a background in research and preservation of natural “tall-grass prairies” and the creatures that inhabit them. Julie recently donated a 5-acre plot of land adjacent to the Yantis ISD to create a “Prairie Community Classroom” for students and the public alike. With assistance from Parks and Wildlife and Fish and Game departments, Julie has already made a start in returning her lands to it’s original eco-system with some success. “It takes about five years and sometimes more for prairie land to recover from hay planting, fertilizing and over grazing, and to allow for a return of the birds like quail, harriers and certain sparrows, but it will. It’s amazing what the earth can do”.
Families like the Rhodes and Maddox families are being joined by others who are generously offering volunteer time as well as money to help build garden beds and birdhouses, and to purchase native grass seeds and pollinator-friendly plants. If you would like to get on board, make a start by attending the Yantis Prairie Day on the afternoon of Saturday, September 29, 2018 with participation from Texas Parks and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife and Yantis City Council.
Have Some Serious Fun! Join the Next Mini-Walk or Event Benefitting Terrific Tuesdays
Administrator of Sunny Springs Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Kim Hansford spread joy and smiles to raise extra funds for Terrific Tuesdays during the mini-walk on Thursday September 20, 2018. You can inspire smiles and raise money for Terrific Tuesdays too, by attending a mini-walk next week as well as the major Walk to Remember on Thursday October 4 at 6pm at The Gardens of Christus Mother Frances Hospital. These annual fundraising walks are the sole fundraiser for an entire year of programs at Terrific Tuesdays, a weekly Alzheimer Caregiver Respite Program held at First UMC downtown. The 2018 goal is $10,000. Drop off or donate by mail to Terrific Tuesdays, c/o 150 MLK Drive, Sulphur Springs, Texas 75482.
Another fundraiser was held on Thursday. Hopkins Place Assisted Living held a Fish Fry to raise money for “A Walk To Remember” The plates looked and tasted amazing. Thank You Shelly Kaye Scheckel and Leanetta Hester Pryor for raising money for Terrific Tuesdays.
Another Mini-Walk in the 2018 series was held on Friday September 21 at Sulphur Springs Health and Rehab. There are three more Mini-Walks planned: Tuesday Sept 25 at the Sr’s Center at 9:30am, on Wednesday Sept 26 at Hopkins Place at 2:30pm and on Friday Sept 28 at Rock creek Health and Rehab. The major Walk is October 4 at 6pm.
Four Tennessee Men in Hopkins County Jail Following Thursday High Speed Pursuit
Four Tennessee men are in Hopkins County Jail following a Thursday (September 20, 2018) afternoon pursuit that traveled at speeds in excess of 120 mph and extended from the 131 mile-marker on I-30 to a pasture east of State Highway 19N and north of FM 1536.
When stopped by DPS Cpl. Josh Banta, a black Chrysler 300 had a strong odor of marijuana. The driver, John Lorenzo Brown, 30, of Memphis, TN, and the other occupants were asked to exit the vehicle. Banta told the occupants he could smell the marijuana. He asked the men to exit the vehicle. The men denied having any thing in the vehicle. DPS Sgt. David Reynolds had arrived at the scene and asked for the key fob to the vehicle. All four immediately got back into the vehicle and attempted to drive off. Sgt. Reynolds tased the driver Brown. All occupants exited the vehicle. However, one passenger, Latarion Clark, 21 if Memphis, TN, ran back to the vehicle and entered the back seat and then over into the front and fled the scene.
According to Tanner Crump with the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office, when Clark jumped back into the auto he sped away to Highway 67 near Saltillo. The trooper lost sight of the vehicle but another trooper saw it on I-30 westbound. Hopkins County Criminal Investigator Corley Weatherford was westbound and took up the pursuit of the vehicle. Jumping the ditch to 67 again, the driver made his way to 19N with Weatherford in pursuit. Joining the pursuit was SSPD’s Mark Estes. Now Estes, Weatherford, and a DPS trooper were in pursuit. Clark went into the ditch about a quarter mile north of FM 1536 and Highway 19N intersection. A foot race began through the pastures in that area. The race ended when Clark encountered Sammy Weaver of the Cooper Park Police who is also a retired Sulphur Springs Police Officer. Weaver stopped Clark at gunpoint and held him there until the other members of law enforcement arrived. Crump said he was thankful for the 4-way stop sign at Birthright. No officer or law enforcement vehicle sustained injury in the high speed chase. Crump said that he has had no report of any accident at the stop sign since they were installed.
The four arrested and in Hopkins County Jail include:
John Lorenzo Brown, 30, Memphis, TN, charged with Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Felon
Latarion Qutaze Clark, 21, Memphis, TN, charged with Unlawful Carrying of a Weapon and Evading Arrest with a Vehicle
Quashawn Hampton, 19, Nashville, TN, charged with Unlawful Carrying of a Weapon and Evading Arrest
Kordiarius Childs, 24, Memphis, TN, charged with Unlawful Carrying of a Weapon and Evading Arrest
Rafael Cruz Inaugural Speaker for Hopkins County Republican Club
Hopkins County now has a Republican Club and the first public meeting is set for Tuesday, September 25, 2018 at at 6 p.m. in the Hopkins County Civic Center, 1200 Houston Street in Sulphur Springs. The inaugural speaker will be Rafael Cruz, the father of Senator Ted Cruz. Donnie Wisenbaker, Hopkins County Republican Party Chair, said, “Raffia has a powerful story about his life and how he escaped communists Cuba. If there are any doubts in your mind about how wonderful it is to live in a capitalistic county like ours, you need to hear him speak.”
The public is invited to attend the event.
Hearts of Life Presents Smokey for Adoption
Smokey is still searching for his forever home. Smokey is a unique and beautiful boy. He is a large mixed breed with long, silky hair but will proudly wear his coat shaved as well! He is very inquisitive and somewhat independent. He is dog friendly but prefers to run solo. Smokey also enjoys taking long walks on the leash.
His adoption fee is $100.00 which includes all previous vetting, neuter and rabies shot. Please contact Hearts of Life Animal Rescue by phone at 903-439-5019, email [email protected], www.facebook.com/heartsoflife or Petfinder.com
Iwuakor Commits to Oklahoma University
Former Sulphur Springs Basketball Star Victor Iwuakor has committed to Oklahoma. The news was reported earlier this week by rivals.com. The 6-foot-7, 230 pound Iwuakor had offers from colleges all over the country.
Iwuakor played at Sulphur Springs for three years. He played on the Wildcats’ varsity for two years and spent one year playing for the Wildcats JV. He and his family moved to the Waco area during the summer before his senior year in high school.
Wildcats 28, Royse City 10; Wildcats Start District 2-0
by Don Julian
For the first time in quite a few years, the Wildcats have started the season with a 3-0 record and district play at 2-0. The Wildcats achieved those marks with a 28-10 district win at Royse City Thursday night. The game was delayed for an hour by lightning strikes near the end of the first quarter.
The opportunistic Wildcats used a strong first quarter to seize control of the game. On the Bulldogs second drive, they lost a fumble that the Wildcats recovered. The Wildcats then drove 33 yards for their first score. Quarterback D’Corian Young threw an 8-yard TD pass to wide receiver Landry Tyson for the score. With the successful extra point kick, the Wildcats led 7-0 at the 5:38 mark of the first quarter. The Bulldogs fumbled again on their next drive and again the Wildcats recovered. This time the Wildcats drove 44 yards for a score. On a fourth and two play at the Royse City 20 yard line, Jermond Bryant-Amos, serving as the quarterback in the jumbo package, took the shotgun snap and raced through a gaping hole in the Royse City defense scoring on a 20-yard touchdown run. After another good extra point kick, the Wildcats led 14-0 in the first quarter.
Royse City couldn’t sustain much on their next drive and were forced to punt. Wildcats punt returner Austin Dodd fielded the punt on his own 20 yard line and then set sail 80 yards to the end zone. Along the way, Dodd bumped into an official but kept going diving into the end zone pylon for the score. The extra point kick was good and the Wildcats led 21-0 with just one second left in the first quarter. At that point, both teams were sent to the locker rooms due to lightning strikes in the area.
After the one hour delay, the Bulldogs returned to the field apparently refocused. Royse City drove 61 yards scoring on a one yard run by back Bryce Martinez. After a successful extra point kick, Royse City trimmed the Wildcats lead to 21-7 at the 8:14 mark of the second quarter. The Wildcats threatened to answer the score but a fourth and short run deep in Bulldogs territory came up just short. The Wildcats led 21-7 at halftime.
During a scoreless third period, both teams struggled to sustain drives. Safety Dodd had an interception to stifle one Bulldog drive. The score remained Sulphur Springs 21 and Royse City 7 after three quarters. Early in the fourth quarter Royse City ended a drive settling for a 31-yard field goal by Anthony Ortiz to cut the Wildcats’ lead to 21-10 at the 10:54 mark. A 66 yard touchdown drive by the Wildcats clinched the game. Facing a fourth down and 25 on the Royse City 26 yard line, quarterback Young rolled to the right and fired a perfect strike to Dodd in the front of the end zone. With the good extra point kick, the Wildcats lead was 28-10 with 7:21 to play. That was the final score.
The 3-0 start to a season is the Wildcats best since the 2009 Wildcats opened the season with five straight wins. That team went 10-4 losing in the Regional Final to Denison at SMU’s Ford Stadium. The 2-0 start in district play is the best since the 2012 team won all five of their district games to claim a district championship. That team ended the season with an 8-3 record after a lopsided bi-district loss to Wylie East at McKinney’s Ron Poe Stadium.
The Wildcats have a bye Friday week on September 28. They return to action on October 5 against Forney at Gerald Prim Stadium.
District Standings After Two Weeks
Corsicana 2-0
Sulphur Springs 2-0
Ennis 1-1
Forney 1-1
Kaufman 1-1
Terrell 1-1
Greenville 0-1
Royse City 0-1
North Forney 0-2
Armyworms in Households By Mario Villarino
Armyworm outbreaks are difficult to predict but infestations seem to occur in portions of the state every year especially after early fall rains. Common species of armyworms present in Texas include: the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda; the yellowstriped armyworm, Spodoptera ornithogalli; the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua; and the true armyworm, Mythimna (=Pseudaletia) unipuncta.
The fall armyworm is the insect that causes the most problems in golf courses and home landscapes. Recently, many households in Sulphur Springs are reporting outbreaks of amryworms in lawns. According to Dr. Michael Merchant, Extension Entomologist from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension in Dallas, the fall armyworm has four life stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. The fall armyworm has not shown the ability to diapause so its ability to survive winter depends on the severity of the temperature. The fall armyworm does overwinter in the southern regions of Texas in the pupal stage. The adult is a moth that migrates northward as temperatures increase in the spring.
Armyworm eggs and larvae are also sometimes transported from one part of the state to another on grass sod intended for residential and commercial turf. The adult fall armyworm moth has a wingspan of about 1.5 in. The hind wings are white; the front wings are dark gray, mottled with lighter and darker splotched. On male moths each forewing has a noticeable whitish spot near the extreme tip.Eggs are very small, white laid in clusters of 50 or more and are covered with grayish, fuzzy scales from the body of the female moth. The eggs are seldom seen and are laid at the base of appropriate host plants.
Larvae hatch from the eggs and when full-crown larvae are green, brown, or black and about 1 to 1.5 in. long when full grown. The larva has a dark head capsule usually marked with a pale, but distinct, inverted “Y.” Along each side of its body is a longitudinal, black stripe, and along the middle of its back is a wider, yellowish-gray stripe with four black dots on each segment. The larvae have five stages or instars and usually hide in debris on the soil surface in the middle of the day.
When full grown, larvae will enter the soil and form the pupal stage. Adult moths emerge from pupae. Moths mate and lay eggs, thus starting the life cycle over again. Lush plant growth is preferred by the adults for egg laying. Several generations (A generation is the development from egg to adult stage.) occur each year and typically the life cycle from egg to adult takes 28 days. The life cycle can be extended if cooler temperatures occur and can last up to several months. Armyworms in the spring and summer occur in more distinct groups than later in the season. Fall populations of larvae often blend together several generations and may appear to be continually occurring.
Damage: When feeding, larvae strip foliage and then move to the next available food. High populations appear to march side by side to the new food. Thus, the name armyworms has been applied. Armyworms attack many different kinds of plants. When food is scarce, they will move to plants that are not normally attacked. Thus, armyworms can be found on nearly any plant as they migrate in search of edible foliage. Besides warm-season turfgrasses, plants attacked by armyworms include grain and forage sorghum, corn, small grains, sweet potato, beans, turnip, clover, tobacco, spinach, cucumber, potatoes, tomatoes, cowpeas, cabbage, bluegrass and others. Damage consists of foliage consumption. The small larvae will chew the green layer from the leaves and leave a clearing or “window pane” effect. The first three instars do very little feeding while the last two instars consume 85% of the total foliage consumed.
Control: Although armyworms outbreaks are memorable when they occur, in reality, the outbreaks are usually small in scope. Weather and multiple natural enemies usually act together to keep populations under control. Parasites such as wasps and flies are very effective against armyworms. Predators, such as ground beetles, are also effective in limiting outbreaks. Birds, skunks and rodents also consume large numbers of larvae and pupae. Diseases such as insect viruses and fungi can also be important. Sometimes weather conditions occur that favor armyworms. High egg survival of fall armyworms is favored by above-average rains in August and September.
Because armyworm moths are strong fliers, outbreaks can also occur when storms move the moths and allow them to escape natural enemies. Armyworms should be controlled when they occur in large numbers or plant damage is becoming excessive. Armyworms should be controlled when they occur in large numbers or plant damage is becoming excessive. This will be apparent in turfgrass by examining the grass blades. Damaged areas of lawns appear off-color and eventually turn brown as damage progresses from small windowpane strips of damaged leaf tissue to destruction of entire leaves.
Armyworms feed any time of the day or night, but are most active early in the morning or late in the evening. Treat with a labeled insecticide when leaf damage becomes evident and large numbers of caterpillars are visible. Effective, low-impact insecticides include halofenozide (small caterpillars only) and spinosad. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) products are widely available and will selectively control small armyworm larvae without harm to beneficial insects; however, Bt residues does not last on turf for more than 1-2 days. Conventional insecticide choices for armyworms in lawns include bifenthrin, carbaryl, esfenvalerate, permethrin and others. From 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].
MyPlate Jeopardy By Johanna Hicks
MyPlate Jeopardy
I grew up watching the television game show, “Jeopardy,” and marveled at the intelligence of the competitors. As I grew older, wiser, and more experienced, the mental challenge was refreshing, and my ability to answer several questions was invigorating. As an educator, I’m always looking for fresh ideas to bring educational programs to life. That made me think about the influences that inspired me to learn, and “Jeopardy” came to mind.
A few years ago, a colleague from Dallas County partnered with me to develop “Diabetes Jeopardy.” We came up with questions, answers, a home page listing all the categories and point values. The power point program functions exactly like the game show, but all questions deal with the topic of diabetes. “Diabetes Jeopardy” has been used with my diabetes classes as a fun way to wrap up the series. In 2010, “Diabetes Jeopardy” won national recognition for Educational Technology through the National Extension Association of Family & Consumer Sciences. I have used the program numerous times and shared it with colleagues across the state.
During the summer of 2017, another colleague and I were discussing our nutrition education programs, and pondered tactics to get the ideas across to our audiences in a fun, yet motivational way. Thus, “MyPlate Jeopardy” came into being. Using the same game show theme and template, we developed an easy version, including 15 questions, and a more challenging version with 30 questions. The program has been used with the following audiences:
· Multi-county 4-H Camp in Lone Star, TX
· Hopkins County Foods project group
· Kids’ Camp: Fun, Food, Fitness
· 4-H Learn and Play Day, Gilmer
· Winning with Nutrition, Gilmer High School
· Hopkins County Master Wellness Volunteers
· Approximately 230 individuals participated in the activity
MyPlate, Fight Bac (food safety), and Kitchen Safety are the three categories included in the power point. The impact on participating groups was impressive. Audiences showed a better understanding about nutrients that are unique to specific food groups (Vitamin A & C in different colors of fruits and vegetables, Omega 3-s in fish, etc.), learned the temperature danger zone and proper handwashing techniques to prevent food borne illness, sharpened their knowledge of kitchen safety (storing cleaning products in original containers and not place sharp knives in a sink of soapy water), and other topics.
As you are reading this column, my colleague and I attending the 2018 National Extension Association of Family & Consumer Sciences Conference in San Antonio, Texas. Our Texas delegation is hosting the event, and this year’s conference has a record number of attendees! “My Plate Jeopardy” was recognized for Educational Technology on the state level and Southern Region level (19 states). We are proud to represent our great state of Texas, and I’m proud to bring home the honor.
If you are part of a civic group, women’s group, or other organization and would like to for me to present “MyPlate Jeopardy”, let me know and I’ll be glad to come. Just be sure to give me plenty of advance notice! You may contact our office at 903-885-3443.
Christmas Joys
Good news and bad news…the 2018 Extension “Christmas Joys” Holiday program is scheduled for Monday, November 5, at the Southwest Dairy Museum. Presenters are lined up, booklets are in the process of being printed, and volunteers have been recruited to assist with registration. Two sessions will be available, each with the exact same information, so pick the time that best fits your schedule – 1:30 or 5:30 p.m.
The bad news for some individuals is that the 1:30 session is almost full – less than a handful of seats remain. The good news is that the 5:30 session still has about 30 seats remaining. We will continue to take reservations, and can place individuals on a waiting list once all seats are reserved. In case of cancellations, we will notify those on the waiting list. If you have reserved a seat and find that you cannot attend, please call our office! We always have a waiting list, and we don’t want to them to miss out if space is available.
Cost of the program is only $5, payable at the door. Each attendee will receive a goody bag and booklet with all the recipes, instructions for craft and sewing projects, hint/tips on managing the holidays, and more. The Southwest Dairy Museum always provides luscious refreshments. Please call 903-885-3443 to reserve a seat. We must have a name and phone number for each seat reserved.
Closing Thought
You really shouldn’t say “I love you” unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget. Jessica – age 8
