Work Begins to Install 4-Way Stop at Highway 19N/FM71 Intersection in Birthright
Traffic along State Highway 19 N at FM71 will soon be slowed to a stop. The intersection will be converted to a 4-way stop. Beginning this next week, drivers in the area should watch for traffic delays as crews begin installing sign bases for the upcoming 4-way stop conversion. This is one of four projects in Hopkins/Franklin County served by TxDOT during the week beginning September 10, 2018.
Here’s a look at work planned in Franklin and Hopkins Counties during the week of Sept. 10, 2018. These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues. Motorists are advised to remain alert and pay special attention to all signs, barricades and traffic controls, and reduce their speed as they approach and travel through work zones. They should also avoid distractions such as cell phones, eating, drinking, or car audio or navigation systems.
Other projects include:
I-30 rest areas, Hopkins County: on north and south service roads east of Cumby. Watch for work zones while workers are constructing and completing new rest areas for travelers on I-30.
SH 11, Hopkins County, from SH 154 to Rock Creek. Watch for work zones while workers are striping the newly surfaced roadway.
SH 37, Franklin County: From Mt. Vernon to Winnsboro. Watch for lane closures and short traffic delays as crews prepare for surfacing operations; flaggers will direct traffic.
Lady Cats Lose at Wylie East
More frustration for the Lady Cats’ volleyball team from Wylie East Friday. The Lady Raiders defeated the Lady Cats, 3-0 at Wylie East. The score was 21-25, 19-25 and 17-25.
Lady Cats Coach Justin Maness called it a good overall match. He said it was well fought until the middle of the third set. This was a rematch of a bi-district contest last Halloween in Royse City that Wylie East also won in straight sets.
In stats from Friday, Sadie Washburn led the Lady Cats with 7 kills. Autumn Tanton and Madi Vickery had 6 each. Abbi Baier had 3. Lexi Whisenhunt had 20 assists. In digs, Sadie Stroud and Tanton had 13 each. Maddie Millsap had 12. Whisenhunt had 9. Sydney Washburn had 5 block assists. Whisenhunt had 3. Sadie Washburn had 2.
The Lady Cats are now 22-6 for the season. They play next at home Tuesday night against Edgewood.
Wildcat Football Game Cancelled Due to Lightning
After several lightning strikes continued to delay the start of the Wildcat versus Lucas Lovejoy football game at Prim stadium Friday night, Sulphur Springs Administrators determined to cancel the game. Tickets purchased for the Wildcat vs. Lovejoy game set for Friday night, September 7,may use their tickets for the Friday, September 14th game featuring the Wildcats vs. Terrell.
According to Wildcat Head Coach Greg Owens, “Due to weather and lightning we have cancelled the game. We have been under a lightning alert–anything inside 10 miles–since 4:45 pm today and radar shows that it’s not letting up. UIL rules state that we must wait 30 minutes after the last strike within the 10 mile range. We also decided not to play tomorrow.”
Both teams are starting district next week. The game will not be made up because it is not a district game and there are no playoff ramifications, according to Owens. Lovejoy is also in a nine team district.
Owens said, “I hate it for kids, coaches, and fans. We have prepared and worked so hard to play just 10 games and to cancel one is unfortunate. I know it’s the right decision for the safety of our kids, but we sure hate not to play. Well, the positive side is that we are healthy for district play.”
Lady Cats Volleyball Plays at Wylie East in Bi-District Rematch
The #14 ranked Lady Cats’ volleyball team will be in action on this Friday (September 7) game day. The Lady Cats will travel to Wylie East to play the Lady Raiders. Game time for the varsity is at 4:30 p.m. Friday. The Lady Cats have a 22-5 season record and they have won their last two matches including a Tuesday night win at home against Wills Point. One wonders if the match against Wylie East might be a special one. After all it was the Lady Raiders that ended the Lady Cats season last year. It was a shocker. The Lady Raiders came in with a losing record at 15-19. They were their district’s #4 seed. The Lady Cats were district champs and the district’s #1 seed. However at Royse City on Halloween, Wylie East defeated the Lady Cats, 3-0. Lady Cats Volleyball Coach Justin Maness wants consistent play from his Lady Cats regardless of their opponent. Six current members of the twelve member Lady Cats team were on the roster for last season’s shocking upset.
Wildcats Football Hosts Lovejoy Friday For Home Opener at The Prim
For Wildcats’ football, it’s week #2 and the Wildcats have their season opener at Gerald Prim Stadium Friday night (September 7). Lucas Lovejoy is coming to town. This is a rematch of a bi-district game played here back on November 17. The Leopards won that one, 45-29. Both teams come in tonight at 1-0. The Wildcats defeated Frisco Wakeland, 37-35 last Friday at Frisco Memorial Stadium. Lovejoy topped Frisco Heritage, 42-26 in Allen last Saturday at the Tom Landry Classic.
This is the final non-district game for both teams as both teams start district play next week. The Leopards’ head coach is Todd Ford. He’s in his third year at Lovejoy. Lovejoy started last season 0-5 so they have already improved on that this season.
Wildcats Football Coach Greg Owens is in his thirteenth year at his alma mater. If the Wildcats play like they practiced this week, especially early in the week, then they should look good tonight. We will bring you Wildcats and Lovejoy football, live on KSST Radio. We will also videotape the game for replay at a later date on Channel 18 on Suddenlink Cable.
Meet Central Baptist Church’ New Pastor Chris Stevens and Plan to Attend Revival October 21-24
September 7, 2018 – Chris Stevens likes small towns. During his lifetime he has lived in many of them in 49 different states, and pastored churches in Alabama, Kansas and Texas. He has a broad base of interests and experience, having worked part-time in radio and in sports officiating, even in farming and breaking horses, all to supplement his income at times as a pastor. Pastor Stevens feels his calling to become a pastor came right after he was saved at age 10, and that’s all he ever really wanted to do. He also plays several instruments and is thrilled by the fact that Central Baptist Church members love to sing!
Melinda Henderson is the Children’s Director at Central Baptist Church and she lined up our meeting on the KSST Good Morning Show. Dr. Stevens and his wife Robin settled in Sulphur Springs back in the summer and are excited about getting involved in every activity of the church family. “With new leadership comes change, and with change comes new focus, new direction and the blessings that result” he said. Revival is planned for October 21-24 with evangelist Brian Beaver. Opening day, Sunday October 21 is “Friends Day”. There will be a special feature on Saturday October 20 starting at noon, when right after the Fall Festival Parade concludes in town, Central Baptist will host a free Pumpkin Patch with hot dogs, games, pumpkin painting and pumpkin bowling during the afternoon. All children of the community are invited.
The AWANA Children’s progam is set to begin Sunday September 9 with registration at 5pm and class time at 5:30. AWANA classes will be held every Sunday evening from 5:30 til 7pm children age three through fifth grade. On the Sunday morning schedule for kids, it’s Sunday School at 9:30am, then a “Kids Zone” Children’s Church begins at 10:30am. Designed for nursery through 5th grade, Kids Zone will have reading and art stations, games, Bible lessons and a Snack Shack.
For the adults, Pastor Stevens says Sunday School will become “Life Groups” and will focus on connecting the various age groups through common interests and life skills. Currently there are 5 Life Groups for adults and two for Teens, meeting Sunday mornings at 9:30am. Church services start at 10:30am with the Pastor’s message and including a good share of choir and congregational singing. Sunday evenings services begin at 6pm. Wednesday nights will feature 6:30pm services followed by practice for choir and praise teams.
Central Baptist Church is located at 840 Connally Street, at the intersection of Connally Street and League Street, next to the entrance to Buford Park. Keep up with services and activities by visiting atcentral.org.
Tira News Sept. 7th, 2018
By Jan Vaughn
Nicolaas Esterhuyse spent the long weekend with his grandparents Robert and Yvonne Weir, while his parents were visiting Fredericksburg, Texas. Yvonne says he kept them busy. On Sunday they visited Dustin in Rowlett and took Nico home to his mom and dad, Destri and Eben.
Billy Moss reported that on August 29 th he had been shopping at Dollar General in Birthright and had put his receipt in his pocket. Later he noticed that his bank envelope with his money was missing, so he called the store to check on it. They said that it had been turned it in. Billy wants to express his appreciation to the “honest man” who found his money.
Billy’s mother, Mamie Jo (Garner) Jenkins fell and broke her ankle and 3 bones in her foot. Please pray for a quick recovery.
Chip and I fixed hamburgers and homemade ice cream for our family on Saturday evening. Those who came were Tiffany, Jaidyn, Kenden and his friend, Whitney, Landon, Laiken, Dixie, Rylan, Brailon, and Slaiden.
On Sunday afternoon, Brailon Joslin was honored with a party for his 5th birthday at the Tira Community Center. Helping him celebrate were his parents and siblings, Landon, Laiken, Dixie, Rylan, and Slaiden, and grandparents, aunts, and uncles – Leigh Ann, Bailey, and Kasen, Tiffany, Jaidyn, Malcolm, Morgan, Tiffany’s friend, Perry, and Chip and I. Brailon was very excited and enjoyed playing with all his new toys!
I returned to work at my office on Monday and was treated to a home cooked meal when I got home. Tiffany and her friend, Perry, had made “breakfast for supper”. Jaidyn and Kenden and his friend, Whitney, were here, too.
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]
To do list for September in the Garden By Mario Villarino
Here the list of activities for the garden for late summer, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Specialists:
Sustaining adequate moisture in the garden and landscape is the #1 priority for late summer and fall, Water trees and shrubs by giving them at least one inch of water per week, delivered slowly, around the plants as far out as the “dripline” extends.
Rejuvenate heat-stressed geraniums and begonias for the fall season by lightly pruning, fertilizing, and watering.
Don’t allow plants with green fruit or berries to suffer from lack of moisture. Hollies will frequently drop their fruit under drought conditions.
Prune out dead or diseased wood from trees and shrubs. Hold off on major pruning until midwinter. Pruning now may stimulate tender growth prior to frost.
Divide spring-flowering perennials such as irises, Shasta daisies, gaillardias, cannas, day lilies, violets, liriope, and ajuga. Reset divisions into well prepared soil with generous amounts of organic material worked into the top 8 to 10 inches. Water in thoroughly. Prepare the beds for spring-flowering bulbs as soon as possible.
It is important to cultivate the soil and add generous amounts of organic matter to improve the water drainage. Bulbs will rot without proper drainage. Plantings at this time can provide landscape color for three seasons in central, east, and south Texas.
Annuals set out early enough will bloom as soon as Thanksgiving, and frequently last until Memorial Day. Annuals that should soon be available in nurseries and garden shops include petunias, calendulas, pansies, snapdragons, stock, sweet peas, and violas (from seed).
Christmas cactus can be made to flower by supplying 12 hours of uninterrupted darkness and cool nights (55 degrees F.) for a month, starting in mid-October. Keep plants on the dry side for a month prior to treatment. Replenish mulches around trees and shrubs.
Start cool-season vegetables, such as mustard, lettuce, arugula, broccoli, carrots, and turnips, from seed in well prepared beds. Harvest okra, peppers, squash, and other vegetables often to encourage production. 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].
