North Hopkins Defeat Sulphur Bluff 11-1
Three North Hopkins’ pitchers combined to a throw a no-hitter as the Panthers defeated the Sulphur Bluff Bears, 11-1 Tuesday. Wyatt Wharton threw three innings, Caleb Wyatt went 2 innings and Chase Williams pitched the final inning for North Hopkins.
Wharton and Victor Rojo both drove in two runs. Rojo, Williams, and Branson Thomas all had two hits. North Hopkins scored in every inning with 2 in the first, 2 in the second, a run in the third, five more in the fourth and one in the fifth. Hunter Walls took the pitching loss for Sulphur Bluff. Brandon Branom scored the lone run for the Bears. Brennan Seymore had the RBI for Sulphur Bluff.
Lady Cats Softball Collect 13 Hits in Tuesday Win
Lady Cats Softball Coach David Carrillo said he was glad his team took care of business Tuesday afternoon to go 3-0 in district play. The Lady Cats defeated Pine Tree, 8-1 at Lady Cat Park. The Lady Cats scored in every inning except the sixth. Coach Carrillo said they collected 13 hits. Several players had two hits.
He said he was frustrated by the runners left on base by Lady Cats’ batters. They stranded 10 base runners in the win. Coach Carrillo said some of his hitters at times were also frustrated by the Lady Pirates’ crafty pitcher.
He said he was hoping Lady Cats’ pitcher Bailey Haggerty would get a shutout Tuesday. Haggerty entered the seventh inning with a one-hit shutout. The Pirates got a run on a couple of hits in the seventh to end up with one run and three hits. Coach Carrillo said Haggerty was great and outstanding and in control of the game throughout.
Marshall is next for the Lady Cats at Marshall Thursday night. Coach Carrillo scouted Marshall at Texas High after his game Tuesday. Texas High comes to town Tuesday. On an open date, Coach Carrillo will head out to scout Mount Pleasant.
Wildcat Baseball Coach Pleased With Stadium and Team Play
Wildcats Baseball Coach Jerrod Hammack said he couldn’t have asked for a better start to the district season or at a new field after his team defeated Pine Tree, 12-2 Tuesday night at sparkling, new Wildcat Park. The game was called with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning because of the ten-run rule.
Coach Hammack said it was big for the Wildcats to put four runs on the new Wildcat Park scoreboard in the bottom of the first inning and then to build on the lead later. He acknowledged his team hit better in their last tournament of the season than they did Tuesday night but he said the Wildcats did get some timely hits and did enough to score 12 runs. Coach Hammack said the team’s adrenalin was really flowing at the start of the team’s first district game. He said the team had to settle down some.
Coach Hammack said Wildcat Park might be a better field next season after a year of working on it and getting it sanded after the season. Still he was pleased with how it is right now. Coach Hammack said most of the grass was nice and thick and green and he said the park looked good. He also liked the good crowd and the atmosphere during the game. Coach Hammack said the larger field should benefit the Wildcats and their style of play. He said Pine Tree’s outfielders seemed to play deeper than usual in the bigger park and he said several Wildcats’ hits fell in front of them.
Coach Hammack said one key to the win was how the Wildcats stymied the Pirates running game. He said catcher Kaden Argenbright shut down the running game. Pitcher Ryan Humphries also picked off a Pirate runner at second base. Coach Hammack also credited first baseman Triston McCormick for the way he handled a Pirates’ attempt at a double steal as they tried to score a run in the top of the first. A speedy Pirates’ runner was thrown out at the plate. Coach Hammack said if the Wildcats can eliminate errors and walks, they will be hard to beat.
After their success at home, the Wildcats will now take their game on the road. The Wildcats play at Marshall Friday night at 7 p.m.
Local Trustee Continues Participation in Leadership Program
Leesa Toliver, trustee from Sulphur Springs ISD joined 29 other school board members from across Texas February 28–March 3 at the third of five sessions of the Leadership TASB class of 2018. Selected by the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB), the group is participating in a yearlong education leadership study program. These trustees represent school districts of all sizes, with student populations of 158 to 98,688, and reflect a similar range of property wealth.
Participants who complete all required elements of the study will graduate this year by earning Master Trustee status. This is the highest designation recognized by TASB.
Meeting in Galveston, the board members began their session by touring Texas City and Galveston ISDs. Featured speakers were Will Richardson, well-known author, educator, and reform leader, and Amy Lynch, a nationally recognized expert on generational differences.
Other Leadership TASB sessions are scheduled for El Paso, April 19–21, and Fort Worth, June 28–30. Each session has a unique theme that builds on the previous session and features nationally recognized experts in the fields of leadership development and education. Teams also work throughout the year on extended learning assignments between meetings. Created in 1993, Leadership TASB has more than 800 graduates to date.
TASB is a voluntary, nonprofit association established in 1949 to serve local Texas school boards. School board members are the largest group of publicly elected officials in the state. The districts they represent serve more than 5.3 million public school students.
Parole Violation, Meth, Firearms, Back in Jail
Isaiah Dominique Hearn, 28, of Sulphur Springs did not like who he found knocking on his Helm Street apartment door at 10 a.m. Tuesday. Hearn retreated into the apartment only to be followed by Hopkins County deputies seeking to serve a warrant for his arrest for parole violation.
Hearn was taken into custody and in his pocket was a glass pipe commonly used to smoke methamphetamine. The deputies asked to and were given consent to search the residence. Hearn admitted to having meth in the residence. In the location he said he might have meth, deputies found a handgun under the mattress. They also found a handgun in the kitchen.
Hearn is in Hopkins County Jail for Violation of Parole, Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1, more than 1-gram but less than 4-grams, and two charges of Unlawful Possession of Firearm by Felon. He is being held on bonds totaling $60,000 and without bond for Violation of Parole.
Posse Members Presented with Anniversary Year Certificates of Service
Sam Tatum, Frank Tieman and Sheriff Lewis Tatum
At the monthly Posse meeting held in the Sheriff’s Courtroom, Hopkins County Sheriff Lewis Tatum presented his father Sam Tatum with a certificate for 30 years of service in the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Posse organization. Sam Tatum, Roger “Tex” Maynard, Earl Martin and Billy Wayne Orr are the remaining charter members who were present at the Posse’s inauguration in October 1987 and all continue active as 30-year members. Posse Captain Frank Teiman assisted Tatum in presenting other Anniversary certificates to Gary W. Moon, Lisa Hooten, Joe Hooten and Steve Huffman. Currently, there are 22 active volunteer members serving as a support force for the Sheriff’s Department.A special feature of the meeting was a crime-scene presentation by Texas Ranger John Vance who is from Hopkins County and a member of the Ranger team working cases in a 24-county area of North East Texas. Vance, like the Posse, assists and represents the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Department.
30-year Posse member Earl W. Martin
30-year member Billy Wayne Orr
30-year member Roger “Tex” Maynard
20-year Posse member Gary W. Moon
Friend Provides Entry Code; Local Man Arrested on Bond Forfeiture
March 14, 2018 – His friend gave Hopkins County Sheriff’s deputy consent to search the residence at 708 Pampa and provided the code to enter the residence as the deputy sought Jason Ray Bailey, 46 on a warrant for Bond Forfeiture Theft with 2 previous convictions.
Jason Ray Bailey
After knocking on the door at the residence and making no contact, Law Enforcement entered the residence using the code. A search of the residence was made and Bailey was found in a bedroom.
He is in Hopkins County Jail being held on a $10,000 bond.
Pilot Club Fundraiser Will Feature BBQ and Major Western Entertainment
Put on your boots and saddle up for Western entertainment, a BBQ Supper and a Texas-size opportunity to lend a hand to the Pilot Club’s efforts to raise funds for 2018 projects. Set for Saturday April 7 at 7pm in the Civic Center, the local Pilot Club Spring Fundraiser will feature Robert Joe Vandygriff, originally of Roxton, Texas. After forming a band in Sulphur Springs in the 1980’s, the musician branched out into rodeo, wrote chart-topping country songs, opened for major acts including Garth Brooks, produced shows for Nashville’s major stars and became a regular on “Walker,Texas Ranger”. RJ’s long-running “The Cowboy Ain’t Dead Yet” one-man show is among the longest-running and most successful comedy stage shows across the nation, recognized by numerous associations including the Academy of Western Artists and the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. Tickets are on sale now at $30 each for his one-night-only appearance in Sulphur Springs.
According to Pilot Club President Jane Goldsmith, the entertainment is for the entire family and will include a catered BBQ meal, dance, door prizes and prize baskets. Local businessman Bill Owens was in Robert Joe’s band in Sulphur Springs for a number of years and has proudly watched his rising career in entertainment. Both encourage everyone to come and enjoy the Spring Fundraiser! For tickets and information, contact Pilot Club President Jane Goldsmith at 903 348-5099 or other local Pilot Club officers at 903-243-0979 or 903-438-7153, or through [email protected].
The mission of Pilot Club International is to influence positive change in communities and to come together in friendship and to give people an outlet for service. For the Sulphur Springs Chapter, persons with brain-related injuries are a special focus. Among their 2018 projects for brain-injured children are Hoop Dreams basketball camp and the Handi-Capable Rodeo, as well as recognition of caregivers of persons with brain-related injuries.
Former Development Director Candidate for Greenville City Manager
Former Sulphur Springs City Development Director and current Lancaster Economic Development Director Michael Shane Shephard is one of 15 candidates for Greenville City Manager.
While Director of Development for the City of Sulphur Springs, Shephard was instrumental in the development of Celebration Plaza and the downtown market as well as code development and enforcement.
Current Greenville City Manager Massoud Ebrahim announced in November 2017 that he would retire in 2018. Ebrahim began his work in Greenville in May, 2013.
Among those who have applied for the position are former and current City of Greenville employees including the city’s chief of police and a former assistant city manager in Greenville and is now city administrator in Quinlan.
