Wildcats Commited to Play College Football at Texas A&M University- Texarkana
February 5, 2026 – Sulphur Springs Wildcat football players Jaxson Haire, Tre Pannell and Jeff Stevenson have commited to play college football at Texas A&M University-Texarkana, which is starting a new program with play to begin in 2027.
Haire rushed for over 1,000 yards, caught 48 passes for 485 yards and scored 24 touchdowns in his senior season for the 10-2 Wildcats. He was District 7-4A’s Utility Player of the Year.
Defensive end Pannel had 41 tackles and three tackles for loss. Center Stevenson was a three-year starter on the offensive line. Pannel and Stevenson were first-team all-district players.
A&M-Texarkana announced last fall that it wil play in the NCAA Division II and the Lone Star Conference starting in the 2027 season.
They also revealed a partnership with Red River Credit Union for the naming rights for a future Eagles’ football stadium. The stadium is in early planning stages, with a planned capacity of 6,000, aiming to be ready for the new team by 2028. Joshua Eargle has been named the program’s first head coach. He has 20 years of coaching and head coaching experience at the collegiate and high school levels, most recently serving as the tight ends coach and offensive run-game coordinator at the University of Texas at El Paso.
Your Chance to Win in More Ways Than One in the Online Gala Auction Pre-Sale
February 4, 2026 – Sulphur Springs, Texas – Winning doesn’t get sweeter than this! Every person who bids
in the Online Gala Auction Pre-Sale is entered to win $500 cash! The auction is live on Gala2026.GiveSmart.com with something great for everyone and will close Sunday, February 8 at 9 pm.
The cash drawing will take place during the Gala on May 9 and is typically reserved for attendees only. This auction provides a rare opportunity to participate from home or to earn an extra entry if you are attending the Gala. The prize money is sponsored by Chris Voorheese, Financial Advisor – Edward Jones.
Pictured here is Julia Wilhite celebrating a win during the 2019 Vegas Gala.
Paxton Demands Documents in Investigation of Austin ISD Over Student Walkouts
February 3, 2026 – AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has demanded documents from the Austin Independent School District as part of an investigation into whether district officials improperly facilitated student protests against federal immigration enforcement activities.
The inquiry follows a series of student walkouts on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, when students from 14 AISD campuses left class during the school day to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations. According to the Attorney General’s Office, district personnel were aware of the planned demonstrations and, in some cases, helped students leave campus.
In a letter sent to the AISD community that day, Superintendent Matias Segura stated the district is not responsible for keeping students on campus and disclaimed responsibility for the protests.
Dear Austin ISD community,
Today, students at 14 campuses participated in student-led protests related to immigration enforcement activities. While many of our students participated in walk-out demonstrations on campus, some students left our schools and gathered at the Texas Capitol.
It is important to note that this event is not sponsored or endorsed by Austin ISD or any of our schools. In alignment with our practices, our campuses communicate with families if and when they learn about the possibility that students may participate.
It is always our desire to have our students in our classrooms during instructional hours. During the school day, our students are our responsibility and we’re committed to the safety of our students in our community, regardless if they are on our campus. That is why our administrators and Austin ISD Police remain with our students during protest activities during school hours.
That being said, our ability to ensure student safety is limited when they attend non-school-sanctioned events. For this reason, we encourage families to talk with their children about the family’s expectations during these types of events.
To help families make informed decisions, please keep the following in mind:
- Our staff cannot physically prevent a student from choosing to leave campus. Support from families is essential in helping students navigate and understand their family’s expectations.
- If a student leaves campus and does not return by the end of the school day, we will be unable to facilitate a return to the campus or their safe return home.
- Leaving campus during the school day to participate in a protest is considered an unexcused absence.
Our goal is to ensure that all students are accounted for and safe. Thank you for your continued support and for helping us maintain a secure and focused learning environment for every student.
Sincerely,
Matias Segura, PE, MBA
Superintendent
Austin ISD
“Parents expect our public schools to educate and keep their kids safe during the school day, not encourage them to attend a protest field trip designed to villainize brave law enforcement officials,” Paxton said in a statement. He accused district leaders of advancing a political agenda and potentially using taxpayer resources to do so.
Paxton has requested records related to campus exit policies, excused absences, security protocols, and internal communications surrounding the walkouts. His office will examine whether public funds were used improperly and whether any state laws were violated.
AISD officials have not publicly responded to the document demand.
The 36th Annual Martin Luther King Jr Awards Ceremony was Held January 19th
February 3, 2026 – The 36th Annual Martin Luther King Jr Awards Ceremony was held January 19th, 2026, at Morning Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Sulphur Springs, Texas. Dr. H.B. Nash is the Pastor. Master of Ceremony for the event was Deacon Ricky Godbolt. The Keynote Speaker was Stephanie Conley. Below is KSST/Cable Channel 18’s coverage of this joyous event.
Alert from Gafford Chapel WSC: Check Your Meter
Date: Feb 02, 2026
The water tower at Ridgeway cannot fill up. This usually means we have a large usage of water or a major leak. Please go check your meter and see if it is spinning like a large amount of water is being used. Also check with your neighbor and look for any unusual amounts of standing water.
Call Daniel Romans at 903-439-5049 to report leaks.
District Alignments for 2026-28 Have Been Announced by the UIL
February 2, 2026 – The new district alignments for 2026-28 have been announced by the UIL.
In football, 4A Division 1, Sulphur Springs will be in District 7 with Caddo Mills, Kaufman, Mabank, Paris, Ferris and Waxahachie Life. Paris is the only current district opponent that will be the same. The longest trips will be 95 miles to Ferris and 108 miles to Waxachachie Life.
The teams from District 7 will be atched against teams from District in football bi-district play, including Lindale, Kilgore and Longivew Pine Tree.
In volleyball and other sports, Sulphur Springs will continue in District 4-A, with Bonham, Paris, North Lamar, Pittsburg and Texarkana Pleasant Grove.
The football districts of other area schools include District 7, 3A Division 1, which will remain the same with Commerce, Winnsboro, Mineola, Mount Vernon, Rains, Eustace and Malakoff.
District 10, 2A Division 1 will include Alba-Golden, Como-Pickton, Hawkins, Cayuga, Frankston, Kerens, and Price Carlisle.
Cumby will be in District 9, 2A Division 2 with Celeste and Quinlan Boles, among others.
Annual Texas Abandoned Crab Trap Removal Dates Set for 2026
February 2, 2026 – AUSTIN —For the past 24 years, countless volunteers band together in February to search the Texas coastline for abandoned crab traps. The abandoned traps can foul shrimpers’ nets, snag anglers’ lines, and create unsightly views. In addition, lost or abandoned fishing gear, such as nets, traps and pots continue to catch and kill marine life (called “ghost fishing”). To date, volunteers and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) staff have hauled off nearly 45,000 of these derelict traps, saving an estimated 740,500 blue crabs.
From Feb. 20 to March 1, Texas coastal waters will be closed to crabbing with wire mesh crab traps for 10 days to facilitate the annual volunteer crab trap cleanup. Any traps left in bays — including traps tied to docks — will be assumed abandoned and considered “litter” under state law. This allows volunteers to legally remove any crab traps they find.
Volunteers are essential for the success of the Abandoned Crab Trap Removal Program and are needed to assist with this year’s coastwide effort to remove lost or abandoned traps. To facilitate volunteer efforts, select sites will offer volunteer events on Feb. 21 — these sites are denoted as “facilitated” in the list provided below.
Registration with partner organizations may be required. Additionally, dumpsters or collection areas marked with banners will be available at all sites to receive traps for the duration of the closure.
Volunteers may focus their efforts on Feb. 21 or work at their own pace throughout the closure; traps cannot be removed prior to Feb. 20 or after March 1. Additional opportunities for land-based volunteers are available but limited.
The Coastal Conservation Association Texas, Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program, Galveston Bay Foundation, San Antonio Bay Partnership, Christmas Bay Foundation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will provide continued support to the 2026 crab trap removal program. In addition, numerous organizations and companies will be volunteering their services.
To participate: Volunteers may pick up free tarps, gloves and additional information at their local TPWD Coastal Fisheries field stations. TPWD requests that volunteers who remove traps both record and submit information about the number of traps they collect as well as document any sightings of diamondback terrapins to Holly Grand at [email protected].
All other legal means of crabbing will not be affected during the closure period for wire crab traps.
For more information, please contact your local TPWD Coastal Fisheries office or Holly Grand via phone at: (361) 431-6003 x822 or via email: [email protected].
Learn more about the Texas Abandoned Crab Trap Removal Program’s history on the TPWD website.
Measles Outbreak Confirmed at Texas Immigration Detention Facility in Dilley
February 2, 2026 – DILLEY, Texas — Federal officials have confirmed a measles outbreak at the South Texas Family Residential Center, an immigration detention facility in Dilley, Texas, prompting a temporary halt to activities and heightened health measures.
On Sunday, the Department of Homeland Security said the Texas Department of State Health Services confirmed two active measles infections among detainees at the facility, which houses families and children detained on alleged immigration violations. In response, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) halted “all movement” within the center and quarantined people who may have had contact with those infected.
Officials said the infected individuals are receiving medical care and that health staff are monitoring others to prevent further spread. The outbreak was detected as the facility was already under scrutiny following the controversial detention and recent release of a 5-year-old boy and his father, drawing national attention to conditions at the center.
Advocates and legal representatives have raised concerns about outbreak risks in crowded detention settings and called for transparency and safeguards for the health of detainees. As measles is highly contagious, public health officials say rapid containment in such environments is critical.
Commissioner Miller Praises Pause in Federal Equine Overreach
The following statement may be attributed to Commissioner Miller:
“As someone who has spent a lifetime around horses and as Texas Agriculture Commissioner, I welcome USDA-APHIS’s decision to postpone implementation of the Horse Protection Act amendments. Folks who work with horses understand that animal welfare and common sense must go hand in hand.
The Horse Protection Act was created to stop abusive practices, and I’ve been clear for years that cruelty has no place in the equine world. But the rules pushed by USDA under the Biden administration went too far. They piled on new requirements without listening to experienced horsemen, state agriculture leaders, or rural communities. It threatened to burden responsible owners, trainers, and event organizers with unnecessary expenses and red tape during active show seasons.
USDA’s decision to postpone implementation is an acknowledgment that overregulation has real consequences, and I’m glad to see them take the time to get things right. Good animal welfare policy should target actual abuse, not punish responsible owners or regulate the life out of the equine industry.
You don’t protect horses by punishing the people who love them, you protect horses by focusing on bad actors.
I’ll continue to fight for a balanced approach that protects horses, respects common sense, and pushes back against federal overreach. Texas horsemen know how to care for their animals, and they deserve a system that reflects reality, not bureaucratic box-checking.”
Alert from Gafford Chapel WSC: Conserve Water
Date: Jan 31, 2026 – 8:30 AM – The water break has been repaired but please conserve water usage. The Ridgeway water tower will take time to fill up to capacity for our normal usage. We can’t all wash a load of laundry at the same time!!
