More Sno Predicted for Sulphur Springs: Summer 2018
Tropical Sno is opening up a second location on 237 Wildcat Way, located behind Lowes. The hours for the new location will be the same as the current location: from March to October and will offer the same menu items. KSST sat down with Brandon Hodges, owner of the two locations, to talk about the new location, his history, and what else is in store for the fun snow cone stands.
Tim Kelty first approached Brandon when his stand was on the South side of Main street and asked if he wanted to put in another location. Dollar General bought the original lot and Tim offered Brandon the current location on Main street. “He basically saved my business.” Brandon said. The second location on Wildcat Way has been in the works for three years and Brandon is very excited to see it coming together.
“[Community involvement is] super important. I try to give back any way I can. I love being in the community.” And if you don’t believe Brandon, all you have to do is look at his calendar! Brandon visits the local schools, hospitals, and supports local sports teams like Brightstar Baseball. “Anything under 350 kids, is $1.50 each.” He explained that when visiting schools he charges them just the cost to make it in order to aid their fundraising efforts. Brandon says his prices are notably less expensive than some competitors.
Whats Next? Brandon says they are the first chain of Tropical Sno locations that also carry fountain drinks. Brandon also hopes to add new games to the bean bag toss area, and encourages people to enjoy their treats ins shaded areas where he plays music. For the location on Main street he plans on creating an outdoor movie theater, and the location behind Lowes will eventually include a beach volleyball court. He is in the process of getting a mobile snow cone stand to relieve the extra work of unloading /reloading equipment at the schools and events. His new mobile stand will make it easier to transport and attend even more events around Sulphur Springs.
Brandon’s favorite flavor of Snow cone: “Tiger-riffic” which is Tigers blood and blue raspberry with cream. His favorite part of his job is “selling smiles: making people happy.” As various customers arrive, Brandon is all smiles, laughing and joking with the kids and parents as he makes their snow cones. He really goes the extra mile to be personable and know his customers.
Brandon Hodges first bought the business in 1991. He has around 37 years of experience of working in the Snow Cone industry. He was living in San Marcos, and moved to this area to be with family. He started his Tropical Sno Stand in Yantis, and moved to Sulphur Springs a year later. He’s been a fixture on Main street for four years now.
Check with Brandon Hodges at the Main Street location for more information about the opening day of the second location!
Aviation History: “Douglas Commercial 3” (DC-3 Commercial Transport)
The Douglas DC-3, which made air travel popular and airline profits possible, is universally recognized as the greatest airplane of its time. Some would argue that it is the greatest of all time.
The first DC-3 built was the Douglas Sleeper Transport — also known as Skysleepers by airline customers — and it was the height of luxury. Fourteen plush seats in four main compartments could be folded in pairs to form seven berths, while seven more folded down from the cabin ceiling. The plane could accommodate 14 overnight passengers or 28 for shorter daytime flights. The first was delivered to American Airlines in June 1936, followed two months later by the first standard 21-passenger DC-3. By 1939, more than 90 percent of the nation’s airline passengers were flying on DC-2s and DC-3s.
But really the basic DC-3/C-47 configuration was so good it needed little improvement. Its two Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp 14-cylinder radial engines produce 1200 hp each, providing thrust enough to lift 20-plus passengers and baggage or a 6,000-plus pound cargo load. Cruising at 160 to 180 mph, the DC-3 can fly about 1,600 miles, land in less than 3,000 feet, and take off again in less than 1,000 feet. Its low-speed handling and toughness made it the go-to airplane for a myriad of jobs including military special operations.
The onset of WWII saw the last civilian DC-3s built in early 1943. Most were pressed into military service, and the C-47 (or Navy R4D) began rolling out of the company’s Long Beach plant in huge numbers (10,174 were produced as C-47 military transports during World War II). It differed from the DC-3 in many ways, including the addition of a cargo door and strengthened floor, a shortened tail cone for glider-towing shackles, and a hoist attachment. In 1944, the Army Air Corps converted a DC-3 into a glider (XCG-17), and it significantly outperformed the gliders towed by C-47s on D-Day. C-47s served in every theater.
That included going back to war. In response to increased attacks by Viet Cong on rural South Vietnamese outposts in Vietnam in 1963, American Air Commandos began assisting the defense of small villages at night by using their C-47 transport aircraft to fly in circles and drop illumination flares, exposing attackers to the defending troops. The practice inspired the idea of fitting the C-47s with firepower and ultimately an Air Force effort called Project Gunship I.
The Air Force modified several C-47s by mounting three 7.62 mm General Electric miniguns to fire through two rear window openings and the side cargo door, all on the left side of the aircraft. A gunsight was mounted in the left cockpit window. Orbiting a target at 3,000 feet and 140 mph, the modified “AC-47” could put a bullet into every square yard of a football field-sized target in three seconds.
The DC-3 remained on military duty until 2008 – 72 years – until the Air Force’s 6th Special Operations Squadron finally retired its turbine-powered Gooney.
James Bond piloted a Douglas DC-3 airliner. Indiana Jones hopped a ride on one for his last crusade. This aviation icon even stars in a reality TV show.
Almost 80 years after its introduction, a few hundred DC-3s are estimated to still be flying worldwide. That’s kind of unbelievable in an age when dozens of younger types of airliners have already retired to aviation boneyards.
Ric Hallquist, a longtime pilot for Missionary Flights International flies DC-3s loaded with cargo or passengers from South Florida to the Caribbean three times per week. In addition to passengers, Hallquist and his co-pilots have hauled horses, ATVs and pretty much any legal cargo they can fit through the aircraft door.
The Gooney Bird’s rugged landing gear with its big struts can handle rough runways in places like Haiti or the Dominican Republic, Hallquist says.
The oldest DC-3 still flying is the original American Airlines Flagship Detroit (c/n 1920, the 43rd aircraft off the Santa Monica production line and delivered on March 2, 1937, which can be seen at airshows around the United States and is owned and operated by the nonprofit Flagship Detroit Foundation.
There are thousands of stories about the DC
-3. From “Gooney Bird” and “Dumbo” to “Spooky” and “Puff The Magic Dragon,” at least two dozen nicknames testify to its versatility and ruggedness. More than 16,000 DC-3s and military version C-47s were built in 50-plus variants. More than 300 are still flying today.
The included information comes from local Sulphur Springs resident Tony Hughes. Mr. Hughes worked on, performed engine run up, pre-flight/post flight and flew as an aircraft mechanic observer on FCF’s (functional check flight), along with supervising hangar and flight line operations for over 40 years (1956-1996) at E-Systems, Inc., the Greenville, Tx. plant formerly known as TEMCO.
Meal a Day Menu May 14th-18th
Meal A Day Menu
May 14th – May 18th
Monday
BBQ Rope Sausage
Baked Beans
Cole Slaw
Roll
Tuesday
Brisket
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
Green Beans
Roll
Wednesday
Shrimp Creole
Rice
Okra and Tomatoes
Roll
Thursday
Chicken and Dumplings
Tossed Salad
Crackers
Friday
Pork Sloppy Joes
Potato Chips
Pickles
Tossed Salad
Wildcats End Season in Area Loss to Prosper
The Wildcats’ baseball team had their season end Saturday at Rockwall as Prosper rallied from behind to defeat the Wildcats, 9-6. The Eagles win the Area round series over the Wildcats, 2 games to zero. Prosper won Friday night at Rockwall, 7-4.
The Wildcats opened the game Saturday by scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. Included was a home run by Jaxon Chaney. The lead would not stand up. The Wildcats have a final season record of 18-15.
The Wildcats had an exciting run in district play that culminated in a dramatic win over Hallsville at Wildcat Park on April 27. Chaney hit a walk off homer that won the game and left the Wildcats in a three-way tie for first. The next day, the Wildcats lost seeding games to Texas High and Hallsville that left them as a #3 seed. The Wildcats defeated Wylie East two games to one to win the bi-district series last Saturday. Then came Prosper and the Area round losses.
Lady Cats Season Ends in Regional Quarterfinal Loss to Forney
The Forney Lady Rabbits continued to tear the cover off of the softball as they defeated the Lady Cats’ softball team 14-5 at Lady Cat Park Saturday. The win wrapped up the Regional Quarterfinal Series, two games to zero, for the Lady Rabbits. Forney won at home Friday night, 14-2.
The Lady Cats were more competitive Saturday but still Forney remained in high gear. The Lady Rabbits scored in five of their seven innings and pounded out 16 hits including four home runs. The Lady Rabbits scored 3 runs in the first, four in the second, three more in the third, three more in the fifth and one run in the seventh.
The Lady Cats had a fairly decent day at the plate collecting ten hits. They scored a run in the first, three more in the third and one run in the fourth. When the Lady Cats battled back to within 10-4 and they threatened to get even closer, the Lady Rabbits went back to their ace who pitched the last five innings of the game allowing only one run. Brinklee Driver hit a big three run homer over the Lady Cats’ scoreboard in left field and was 3 for 4 with a run and three RBI’s. Alyssa Abron was good in her last game as a Lady Cat going 2 for 3 with three runs scored. She was also hit by a pitch. Kelsey Wallace was 2 for 4 with a run scored. Sadie Stroud drew four walks and forced in a run on one of them. Allie Fite had a hit and drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Sierra Smith and Landri Bell also had a hit apiece. For the second straight day, Lady Cats pitcher Bailey Haggerty struggled in the circle. She took the loss allowing ten hits and seven earned runs in three innings. Tessa Holt pitched the last three innings allowing six hits and four earned runs.
The Lady Cats end the season with a 28-7 record. This team earned the distinction of being Coach David Carrillo’s first sole district champion here. They also claimed bi-district and Area playoff titles this season.
Wildcats Must Win Next Two Follow Friday Loss to Prosper
The Wildcats’ baseball team was unable to overcome a big six run top of the third inning for Prosper as the Wildcats lost game one of their best two out of three series, 7-4 at Rockwall Friday night.
The Eagles scored the games first run executing a double steal. Prosper gave the run right back as Triston McCormick singled and then scored on a dropped fly ball on the warning track in left field. Then Prosper put together the big inning that made the difference. After a couple of Prosper hits, the first run scored on a sacrifice fly. Later with the bases loaded, the Eagles scored three runs on two wild pitches and a throwing error. Then a Prosper single drove in two more runs. The Wildcats trailed 7-1.
The Wildcats got one run back in the bottom of the third as Gavin Millsap, Kaden Argenbright and Ryan Humphries all singled to load the bases. McCormick drew a walk that forced in Millsap. The Wildcats could not get more leaving the bases loaded. The Wildcats reduced the lead to 7-4 by scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Austin Dodd laid down a beautiful bunt for a single. Argenbright walked. After a Humphries sacrifice, McCormick drove in two runs with a double to the wall in left center. That was as close as the Wildcats could get.
McCormick was 3 for 3 with a run scored and three RBIs. Humphries took the pitching loss going two and two-thirds innings allowing eight hits seven runs, six of them earned with three walks and three strikeouts. Tyler Armstrong had a strong outing in relief stifling the Eagles and giving the Wildcats a chance to come back. Armstrong went 4 and a third innings allowing only one hit and no runs while striking out four and walking four.
The Wildcats will attempt to even the series as game two takes place Saturday at 1 p.m. at Rockwall. A game three, if needed, will follow game two.
Lady Cats Lose First Game to Forney; Game Two Saturday
The Forney Lady Rabbits exhibited their quick striking offense while greatly limiting the Lady Cats’ softball team’s offense in a 14-2 victory in Forney Friday night.
The Lady Cats actually led briefly scoring twice in the top of the first inning. The Lady Cats first two hitters, Alyssa Abron and Kelsey Wallace, got on base and scored. Alli Fite had one of only two Lady Cats hits and she drove home a run in the top of the first. Forney answered with four runs of their own in the first and they added five more runs in the bottom of the second to go up 9-2. Another five runs scored in the bottom of the fourth to make it 14-2. The game was called after the top of the fifth with Forney up 14-2.
Sadie Stroud got the only other Lady Cats’ hit. The Lady Cats did manage to draw five walks. Lady Cats pitcher Bailey Haggerty had a tough night in the circle pitching four innings and allowing twelve hits, fourteen runs, twelve earned runs with six walks and three strikeouts. The Lady Cats also had an error.
The Lady Cats will attempt to even the series as they host Forney in game two at Lady Cat Park Saturday at 11 a.m. Game three, if needed, will take place right after game two. Hear the games on KSST.
Panthers Season Ends With Area Loss to Union Grove
Union Grove won their Area series with the North Hopkins’ baseball team taking a pair of games, 4-2 and 4-1 at Mesquite’s Tillery Field Friday.
In game one Union Grove led all the way and held off the Panthers, 4-2. Union Grove outhit the Panthers six to four. Wyatt Wharton took the pitching loss going five and two-thirds innings allowing four hits and three runs with only two runs earned. Wharton also struck out four and walked six. Senior Chase Williams went the final inning and a third allowing two hits and an earned run while striking out three and walking one. Victor Rojo had the only RBI for the Panthers. Rojo, Wyatt, Wharton and Williams had the Panthers hits. The Panthers stole four bases.
The Panthers lost game two in heartbreaking fashion. The game was scoreless going into the bottom of the sixth when Union Grove scored four runs. The Panthers could manage to get only one of them back in the top of the seventh. Wyatt pitched all six innings allowing five hits and four earned runs. Wyatt also struck out three and walked one. The Panthers outhit Union Grove six to five. Williams was 3 for 3 with a stolen base. Wharton, Brycen Gillespie and Jessie Rivera all had one hit apiece. Both teams committed two errors.
After the games, North Hopkins Head Baseball Coach Tim Henderson issued a statement saying his team played good baseball Friday while adding it just wasn’t their day. He complimented Union Grove for executing their offense and for getting timely hits when they needed them. Coach Henderson said he could not be prouder of his boys for competing until the very end. He said the day had a wild finish. Coach Henderson noted his team was district champs for the second year in a row, was bi-district champs and compiled a season record of 17-9-1, which ties his personal best for wins in a season.
Food for Thought: Local Restaurant Makes Generous Donation
Burgers and Fries made another wonderful $ 2,000.00 donation to the Meal A Day Program. A HUGE Thank You to all of their thoughtful employees and generous customers who throw tips in the donation jar when they pick up their food.
The Very Humble, Very Hardworking Earthworm By Susan Brewer
By Susan Brewer, A Hopkins County Master Gardener
Do you remember the old rhyme? “Nobody likes me, everybody hates me, guess I’ll go into the garden to eat worms. Long thin slimy ones, short fat juicy ones, itsy bitsy, fuzzy wuzzy worms”. What a bad rap earthworms get, yet they are a vital resource in enriching our soil whether it be in your yard, vegetable garden, house plants or the cornfield.
Charles Darwin 100 years ago reportedly wrote that it may be doubted whether there are as many other animals which have played so important a part in the history of the world as have these lowly organized creatures.
The common earthworm sometimes called natures’ plow is well worth another look. The most common worm in this part of Texas is the Lumbricus terrestris or night crawler. They are natural composters. This is a worm most often seen after torrential rains and at night particularly when the ground is moist from dew or a rain. They can be large, with a darker colored head end and have a thickened band of discoloration close to the front of the body. The “tail” end of the worm tends to be flatter than the “head”. They provide improvement to soil fertility by tunneling deeply into the ground, sometimes several feet deep, pulling below the surface deposited organic matter such as leaf fall or manure either for food or to plug its burrow. Once in the burrow, the worm will shred the leaf and partially digest it and mingle it with the earth. Worms end result (castings) can contain 40 percent more humus than the top 9” of soils where the worm is living. In addition to the dead organic matter, the earthworm also ingests other minute soil particles. The excretions left behind after the worm has digested its intake are called castings. Castings contains minerals and plant nutrients that are changed to chemicals that in turn enrich the soil within a surrounding six inch radius. In conditions where humus is plentiful the weight of casts may be greater than 10 lbs. per year per worm! The earthworms’ physical activity of burrowing creates a multitude of channels through the soil and is of great value enabling processes of aeration and drainage.
Most worms are hermaphrodites (organisms that have both male and female reproductive organs at the same time). Reproduction in earthwormsresults in cocoons about the size of a match head or a small grain of rice. Color-wise they start out as a luminescent pearly white and through the maturing process of the soon to be baby worms will end up a reddish color. This process takes about 3 weeks and results in 1 to several baby worms being hatched. These cocoons can survive through the winter months ensuring the survival of earthworms. Some adults will hatch and die in the same year depending on conditions such as dryness, temperature or predators. Some earthworms however, have been known to live 6-7 years.
Having talked about common earthworms in Texas and extolling their virtues, there are some bad guys out there too. One is the terrestrial hammerhead flatworm Bipalian kewense, recognizable by a half-moon shaped head – think hammerhead shark. This one is a known predator of worms. Not only that, but they are detrimental to the environment. They are typically light-colored with dorsal stripes. These should be destroyed. Chopping them into pieces causes them to multiply because they can regenerate from the pieces. Effective treatment methods include citrus oil, vinegar or salt. Apply these products directly to this worm.
Another useful benefit of earthworms is vermiculture. Vermiculture is the practice of feeding organic waste to earthworms commonly known as the red wiggler or the tiger worm. The night crawler, which burrows deeper than the vermiculture process requires, is not recommended for this practice. Vermiculture can be safely done in your house or other specially designated areas in special containers. Previously discarded kitchen waste is converted to material that can use on your houseplants and in your garden. You and your children gain a better understanding of one of the lesser-advertised methods of recycling and start thinking about the interdependencies so important for us and the planet we live on.
There is economic value in vermiculture. Earthworms are sold all over the world not only for vermiculture in large quantities but can also be used as food for human consumption. Noke is a word used by the Maori of New Zealand and refers to earthworms that are considered delicacies for their chiefs. These sales result in an industry worth millions of dollars for both Canada and the US.
A very interesting fact emerged from a research article showing that there is a decay of low-density polyethylene by bacteria extracted from earthworms guts Ref: Science of the Total Environment 624:753-757 Dec. 2017. Could this solve the ever-increasing problems of the hazardous amounts of plastics accumulating the world over?
References: aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu
Worm Links extension.illinois.edu
Worms Eat My Garbage 2017 by Mary Applehof and Joanne Olszewki
