Sulphur Springs United Methodist Church Wants the Public to Know Sanctuary Doors to be Open Good Friday
March 20, 2024 – On Good Friday, March 29, the doors to the Sanctuary at First United Methodist Church, one block north of downtown Sulphur Springs at 301 Church Street, will be open for quiet meditation and individual prayer from 8 am to 3 pm. All are welcome. Stephen Ministers will be there to greet those coming to pray.
Good Friday is the commemoration of the day Jesus Christ died on the cross at Calvary.
For more information, please call 903-885-2185 or visit www.ssfumc.org.
Sulphur Springs Middle School Students Shine as Spotlight Award Winners
March 20, 2024 – Richard Kirby, a counselor from Sulphur Springs Middle School, reached out to KSST with the following info and pictures about some amazing SSMS students. Please check out these students as KSST continues our Salute to Excellence.
8th grade spotlight award winners for the 3rd nine weeks from left are:
Tabitha Cumming, Irwin Delgadillo, Sophie Schaack, Melissa Gutierrez, Gerard Cloutier, and Peyton Mollenhour.
7th grade Spotlight award winners for the 3rd nine weeks from left are:
Carlee Thomas, J’myron Williams, Brevin Watkins, Colt Glenn, and Emily Nunez
6th grade Spotlight award winners for the 3rd nine weeks from left are:
Jose Camacho, Sophie Deuson, Jaiden Shaw, Gabriella Tucker, Kinley Grand-Lienard and Victoria Villegas
Consumer Alert: Tax Scams Are on The Rise
March 20, 2024 – The IRS recently warned that financial scams are on the rise, especially during tax season. Reduce your risk of becoming a target by staying alert and knowing what to watch for.
Spotting the most common tax scams.
Scammers may contact you via phone, email, text or social media and then impersonate the IRS to make you think there’s a problem with your tax return. Common scam strategies include:
- Using false phone numbers or accounts to mimic a legitimate text or call from the IRS.
- Adopting fear tactics, such as suggesting your tax return has an error or that you owe a large sum of money or a penalty, as well as taking urgent action to address these types of issues.
- Instructing you to provide unusual payment methods (such as gift cards, money transfers or cryptocurrency) to pay your taxes.
- Asking you to share personal information to facilitate tax refunds.
Three tips to safeguard against tax scams:
- The IRS always initiates contact about any tax issues with a letter on official IRS letterhead. They will never contact you by phone, text, email or social media.
- Don’t give your personal information to anyone contacting you via phone calls, texts, email or social media.
- You can verify the legitimacy of any communication you receive using the published IRS phone number: 1-800-829-1040.
If you’re targeted by a scammer, ignore it instead of responding.
Visit the IRS for instructions on reporting tax scam attempts, and report fraud to the Federal Trade Commission or by calling 877-FTC-HELP.
CHRISTUS Health: Spring is Here and so is Allergy Season
March 19, 2024 – (EAST TEXAS) – This week marks the official start to spring, and as warmer begins to settle in, the season brings with it an unwanted guest: allergies.
More than 25% of Americans – approximately 80 million people — suffer from seasonal allergies, which can range from a mild nuisance to a near-debilitating issue, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
“Allergy symptoms can last for several weeks if not months,” said Dr. Lori George, a family medicine physician with CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic in Texarkana. “The key is to recognize your level of sensitivity and try to be as proactive as possible.”
Taking an antihistamine early in allergy season before symptoms start, using an air purifier at home, avoiding outdoor activities in the morning where pollen counts are highest and tracking your local pollen counts are all ways to prepare for the allergy season.
In the East Texas region, high counts of pollens like cedar, elm, oak and ragweed are extremely common, and due to humidity, mold spores can make symptoms worse.
It is very common for a person to develop a sinus infection on top of dealing with allergies, and those infections usually require prescription medications.
“Allergies and illness, like a common cold, can be hard to tell apart as they present very similar symptoms: congestion, sneezing, itchy throat, and runny nose,” said Dr. David Larsen, a family medicine physician with CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic in Tyler. “The key difference is a cold will normally include a period of having a fever and should resolve itself in a few days, whereas allergy symptoms can persist for much longer period.”
Larsen said that anyone with severe allergies may want to consider allergen immunotherapy, commonly treated through shots or oral droplets, to help desensitize the immune system over longer periods of time.
For those with less-severe symptoms, over-the-counter remedies such as antihistamines, nasal corticosteroids and decongestants should alleviate symptoms.
“If symptoms persist despite over-the-counter remedies, significantly impact daily activities or simply continue to worsen over time, it’s best to seek medical attention,” he said. “Individuals with a history of severe allergic reactions, such as anaphylaxis, should also promptly consult a health care provider.”
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Solar Eclipse: A Once-In-A-Lifetime Event?
March 19, 2024 – For most of us, this April 8th will provide an opportunity to be front and center of what may be a once-in-a-lifetime event. A total solar eclipse is a rare event, recurring somewhere on Earth every 18 months on average. It is estimated to recur at any given location only every 360–410 years on average. That data makes Sulphur Springs a very rare place for a very rare occurence as our tiny town sits in the very center of the path allowing for even longer eclipse time. The sun will be completely covered by the moon for a total of four minutes and 21 seconds which is very near the longest amount of total darkness on the eclipse path. A location in Mexico tops the list at 4:28, but nearby Dallas, which is outside the centerline gets only 3:51 of total darkness.
As we anticipate our total blackout of the Sun being eclipsed by the Moon, you should know that it won’t actually be as dark as the middle of the night, but similar to civil twilight as the sun’s rays fight to shine around the moon’s shadow. Yes, your dusk-to-dawn lights will activate and your outdoor animals will get confused as they think night approaches, but rest assured four minutes later the sun will emerge and the day will quickly brighten back to normal.
The total duration of the eclipse beginning when the first edge of the moon begins to block the sun until the last edge finally uncovers the sun will take 2 hours and 40 minutes. For the majority of that time, there should be only a slight noticeable difference in brightness but as full coverage approaches the sky gets darker quickly, a halo of sunlight appears around the moon (for four minutes and 21 seconds here) and then as the sun begins to be revealed it will brighten quickly.
How does the much smaller moon block the much larger sun?
As the moon is approximately 400 times smaller than the sun, it also is about 400 times closer to the earth than the sun making for a perfect combination for the sun and the moon to appear the same size in the sky. Other planets in the solar system (Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune) have much larger moons than Earth and are farther away from the Sun giving them a better chance of a total solar eclipse.
PJC Holding In-Person And Online Presidential Candidate Forums
March 19, 2024 – Three finalists for Paris Junior College president will appear at public forums both in-person and online Wednesday through Friday, March 20-22.
The three presidential finalists are Dr. Stephen Michael Benson, Dr. Joel Michaelis, and Dr. Kevin Rose. Public forums for faculty, staff, students, and the public will be held in-person and online at 9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. in the PJC Math and Science Building, Room 101 for Dr. Rose on Wednesday, March 20, Dr. Michaelis on Thursday, March 21, and Dr. Benson on Friday, March 22.
For those wishing to attend online, the Zoom meeting link is: https://parisjc.zoom.us/j/83063724564?pwd=IbOzH8dXruBBvyXZVIbpHGrBGNav8J.1. While microphones for online attendees will be turned off, they may submit questions for candidates through the chat function.
The online evaluation form links are:
Dr. Kevin Rose, Wednesday, March 20: https://parisjc.wufoo.com/forms/dr-kevin-rose-pres-candidate-evaluation/.
Dr. Joel Michaelis, Thursday, March 21: https://parisjc.wufoo.com/forms/dr-joel-michaelis-pres-candidate-evaluation.
Dr. Stephen Benson, Friday, March 22: https://parisjc.wufoo.com/forms/dr-stephen-benson-pres-candidate-evaluation
Each candidate’s online evaluation form will be turned on the day of that candidate’s appearance and turned off at 3 p.m. that day.
For additional information about the candidates, go to https://www.parisjc.edu/main/pjc-presidential-search-committee-names-three-finalists/.
Important Days Worth Making Note of as March Comes to an End
March 18, 2024 – A couple of important days worth making note of as March 2024 comes to an end include the following. Monday, March 25th, 2024, is National Medal of Honor Day, honoring service and sacrifice, established by Congress to “foster public appreciation and recognition of Medal of Honor Recipients.” The first National Medal of Honor Day was celebrated on March 25, 1991.
Also worth noting, Friday, March 29th, 2024 is Vietnam War Veteran’s Day. This day observes the hardships endured and sacrifices made by nine million Americans during the Vietnam War. However, the holiday doesn’t only commemorate the former soldiers but also their families who supported them before and after the war.
KSST’s Veterans Voices host, Bob Kerr, and the Hopkins County Marine Corps League Detachment 1357 will hold a Memorial Service on Celebration Square, Sulphur Springs, Texas, to honor those who served in the Vietnam War, on Friday, March 29th, 2024, beginning at 11:00am. Please come and honor these brave soldiers.
Winnsboro Police Department Media Report 3-11-2024 – 3-17-2024
Arrests:
ALVAREZ,MARIA, 54 years of age, of Winnsboro, TX, was arrested on 3-14-2024 for TAMPER FABRICATE PHYSICAL EVID W/INTENT TO IMPAIR, POSS CS PG 1/1-B>=1G<4G
STROUD,RENEE 50 years of age, of PRESCOTT VALLEY, TN, was arrested on 3-12-2024 for DISORDERLY CONDUCT, EVADING ARREST DETENTION
Calls for Service:
The Winnsboro Police Department responded to a total of 134 calls for service during this reporting period.
Citations:
The Winnsboro Police Department issued 41 citations and 50 warnings during this reporting period.
Solar Eclipse Safety Tips
March 18, 2024 – The frenzy continues about the upcoming solar eclipse with Sulphur Springs being in the centerline pathway for April 8th. Many are making plans on how to capitalize or avoid the huge crowds of folks that will make their way into Hopkins County to experience the eclipse with a little longer total darkness by being in the centerline.
As residents and visitors prepare, “viewing safety” should be a top priority for anyone viewing the eclipse.
To ensure a safe and enjoyable Eclipse viewing experience, follow these essential tips:
- Wear your glasses properly: Ensure the glasses fit snugly over your eyes, covering your entire field of vision. Do not peek around the frames while looking at the Sun.
- Use glasses at the right times: Wear your Solar Eclipse glasses during the lead-up to and following Totality, when the moon doesn’t completely block the Sun’s rays. Remove the glasses only during Totality to experience the Eclipse’s full effect.
- Ensure your glasses are compliant and approved: Confirm that your glasses meet the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard by checking if the manufacturer or reseller is listed on the American Astronomical Society’s website.
- Inspect your glasses for damage: Check for scratches, punctures, or defects that could allow harmful sunlight to penetrate the lens. Do not use damaged glasses.
- Avoid prolonged viewing: Limit your viewing time to brief intervals and take breaks to rest your eyes. Share your glasses with others if neither of you has a contagious eye condition.
- Test your glasses before the Eclipse: You should only be able to see the Sun itself through the glasses, appearing like an intense orange ball. Everything else should be black.
- Do not move around while wearing the glasses: The dark lenses will obscure your vision. Remove the glasses before moving to prevent injury.
- Supervise children closely: Ensure children understand how to use the glasses safely and monitor their use to prevent eye injury.
Free Cone Day is Back at Dairy Queen!
For one day only, Tuesday, March 19th, Dairy Queen will be giving away one small plain cone to each customer at local Dairy Queen restaurants.
Free Cone Day has become an anticipated annual tradition for DQ restaurants in Texas, symbolizing the arrival of warmer weather and the joy of indulging in delicious frozen treats. This year, DQ restaurants in Texas will share smiles and sweetness with a free small plain cone at participating Dairy Queen restaurants on Tuesday, March 19, the first official day of Spring.
Throughout March, fans also can enjoy the Mint Brownie Blizzard Treat which features the world-famous DQ soft serve blended with brownie pieces, choco chunks and cool mint to create the perfect Blizzard Treat to enjoy throughout March.
