Iwuakor Named District MVP; All-District Team Announced
Eight Wildcats’ basketball players made the All-District team selected by the district’s head coaches recently.
Wildcats’ junior post player Victor Iwuakor was chosen as the District’s Most Valuable Player.
Junior guard Keaston Willis, sophomore forward Godsgift Ezedinma and sophomore point guard Michael Jefferson were selected First Team All-District.
Senior Bryson Lynn and senior Dedric Godbolt made Second Team All-District.
Junior post Xavier Cork and sophomore forward Sadaidriene Day Day Hall made Honorable Mention All-District.
Earning Academic All-District honors for the Wildcats were Lynn, Jefferson, Willis and Cork.
Memorial Services Set for Rancher, Contractor, Community Leader Jack D. Gillis
Jack D. Gillis passed away peacefully at age 94 on March 5, 2018 in the presence of his family.
Mr. Gillis was born on September 21, 1923 in Cumby, Texas to parents A.K. and Ruth Record Gillis. He graduated from Cumby High School and then attended East Texas State College in Commerce and Texas A&M University in College Station. On May 1, 1943, he married his girlfriend from the first grade, Ruth Plunkett Gillis, who preceded him in death in 2015.
Drought, floods, fire, hail, wind and snow… Jack Gillis has about seen it all as he stood guard over one of the oldest and largest ranches in Hopkins County. The Gillis Family Ranch, founded in 1873, is headquartered in Cumby. The Ranch is home to a large herd of registered Santa Gertrudis cattle that he used to work with his favorite horse up until his 80s. Mr. Gillis loved the Gillis Ranch and all of those cows. Jack also got his pilot’s license at age 37 and drove to Alaska twice. To make sure his family had a place to gather for holidays and other family occasions, Jack also developed a separate ranch which his family affectionately calls “The Barn” and is where he celebrated his 90th birthday with family and friends.
Through A.K. Gillis and Sons, Inc., Jack and his brother Bobby employed thousands of people over the years throughout Texas and Louisiana, and still do today. Mr. Gillis enjoyed the many years he served on the Sulphur Springs State Bank/Alliance Bank board of directors. He was a good listener and gave good advice.
Jack is survived by two daughters, Judy Gillis of Sulphur Springs and Janet and Mike Jordan of Mt. Vernon; grandchildren, Ashley and Drew Roberts of Austin, Josh and Kayce Jordan of Mt. Vernon, Julianne and Jason Evans of Dallas and Alison and Charlie Bagley of San Antonio; great grandchildren, Katelyn, Lucy and Anna Roberts, Emerson and Katherine Jordan, Gillis and Jordan Evans, and Jack and John Bagley; brother-in-law E. A. Junell of Cumby and nephew John and Debbie Gillis of San Antonio. He is preceded in death by his wife Ruth Plunkett Gillis and brother Bobby Gillis.
A visitation will be held on March 7th from 5:30 – 7:30 pm at West Oaks Funeral Home. Mr. Gillis will be buried in a private ceremony on March 8, 2018 and a memorial service will take place at 2:00pm at West Oaks Funeral Home. All are welcome to attend the memorial service and celebrate the life of Mr. Gillis.
Pallbearers are Josh Jordan, Drew Roberts, Jason Evans, Charlie Bagley, Barry Ward and Randy Hall.
Honorary Pallbearers are the Alliance Bank Directors, John Gillis, E.A. Junell, Don Deaton, Red Cross, Lee Teetes and Vic Ponder.
Officiants are Dr. Dan Hoke and Mr. Charles Moore.
Soloist – Betsy Gekiere
Pianist – Mark Beggs
In lieu of flowers, please donate to First Presbyterian Church of Sulphur Springs.
Amazing Heart and Passion For Our Kids: Charles McCauley
By Jim Rogers
March 5, 2018 – Sulphur Springs High School band students wore their band shirts to school Monday in memory of their beloved director and SSHS Fine Arts Director Charles McCauley. McCauley died Sunday morning. Social media has been filled with pictures and comments honoring his life and work.
McCauley was one of those unique people who enabled all to find in him a friend. His love for his work, his students, his church, and his community brought him in contact with not just hundreds but thousands of people. He made a contribution to each life. Disciple tempered with compassion would easily describe his motivation for students. He was not turf driven in his work. He saw his leadership of the band as just one more piece of the puzzle that provides success to the various programs of the local school.
In a statement to KSST News, Superintendent of Schools Michael Lamb noted, “Sulphur Springs ISD lost an incredible family member over the weekend. Charlie McCauley, our long-time Band and Fine Arts Director, has passed. Charlie had an amazing heart and passion for our kids, their futures, and teaching them to be great citizens and leaders in our community. Over his 20 years of service with our district, he touched the hearts and lives of thousands of our students, and I know that we were blessed to have known him. Mr. McCauley has been a truly inspirational leader for our fine arts program, particularly for our Wildcat Band. My own son has been in the program for 5 years, and I have felt Charlie’s positive influence in my son’s maturity and leadership ability over the years. I will truly miss my friend and truly miss the service he has provided for so many of our students. He will be greatly missed.”
Greg Owens, Athletic Director and Head Football Coach at SSHS, said, “I’m going to miss my friend Charlie McCauley. We had a very unique relationship as Head Football Coach and Band Director—always got along great. Charlie loved his family and the kids he taught. He had a huge heart for people. The only negative I could find was his love of the Arkansas Razorbacks, but he couldn’t help that! The Band man was full of joy and loved to laugh. He made a huge impact in our school and to all he taught. We are going to miss our friend.
KSST News and Sports shares the loss. Charlie was always ready to accommodate an interview and prepared information regarding the band, blazes and half-time shows for us for Football season.
We shall all, and I personally, shall miss him…
A video tribute to McCauley by Channel 18 News will soon follow.
Add-On-Money Boosts Junior Market Livestock Sale of Champions
The 2018 Junior Market Livestock Show Sale of Champions dollar total eclipsed the 2017 total by $55,000. The final count of add-on-money that came in after the sale brought the 2018 total to $431,404.
Results of Saturday February 24th sale stood at $402,000. This is another record year for the Junior Market Livestock Show. There were 142 FFA/4-H kid’s projects sold Saturday afternoon.
Organizers of the show stated their thanks to “…our caring citizens and businesses in Hopkins County” following the Sunday night final total.
Euless Man Arrested for Burglary by Cumby Police
Cumby Police located Preston Redmond, 69, of Euless on County Road 4722 around 8:30 a.m. Sunday after a call was received regarding the Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle at the location. Redmond was walking along the roadway near the vehicle when found.
Advised of his rights, Redmond admitted to entering without consent the home of a female and taking the keys to the car. Officers found a broken window at the residence. The window was broken to gain entrance to the residence. Redmond was arrested and transported to Hopkins County Jail where a jailer located a green plastic bag containing suspected methamphetamine on Redmond.
Redmond is charged with Burglary of a Habitation, Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, and Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1, more than 1-gram but less than 4-grams. His bonds total $40,000.
A True Texas Game…Meet Winter 42 Tournament Winners
There were 26 Teams entered for the Winter 42 Tournament held on Saturday, March 3rd, 2018 in Sulphur Springs. Numerous spectators were there to support their favorites players of the popular domino game which originated in Texas.
Tournament Winners are:
1st Place – Josh Boatman and Trey Hinton
2nd Place – Anne McConnell and Larry Wayne Conner
3rd Place – Joey and Ronnie Martin
4th Place – Cameron Bain and Noe Negrete
Next Tournament — “Summer 42 Tournament” will be
Saturday, June 30th at 10:00 AM at the Senior Citizens Center
1st Place Trey Hinton and Josh Boatman
2nd Place Anne McConnell and Larry Wayne Connor
3rd Place Ronnie and Joey Martin
4th Place Cameron Bain and Noe Negrete
Meth in Plain View Adds to Charges for Local Man
When Hopkins County Deputies made contact with David Oneal Oxford, Jr, 44, of Sulphur Springs to serve and active felony warrant, Oxford granted consent for deputies to enter his residence. While inside the residence, a plastic bag containing a crystal like substance believed to be methamphetamine was in plain view.
Oxford is in Hopkins county Jail charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1, more than 1-gram but less than 4-grams, a Felony 3 and on the warrant charge of Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1, less than 1-gram. His bonds total $25,000.
Texarkana Man Arrested for Drugs, Weapons
A traffic stop at the 132 mile-marker on I-30 by DPS resulted in the arrest of Patrick Tripler O’Connor, 50, of Texarkana.
The odor of marijuana was smelled by the trooper and a probable cause search found 3.8 ounces of marijuana, 35 dose units of oxycontin, 1 dose of hydrocodone and 2 semi-automatic handguns.
O’Connor is charged with Possession of Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 more than 4-grams but less than 200-grams, Possession of Marijuana more than 2oz but less than 4oz and Unlawful Carrying of Weapon.
Yantis Man Arrested for Theft With Two or More Previous Conviction
William Johnnie Johnson, 71, of Yantis was detained by Loss Prevention at a local discount store after he passed the last point of purchase without paying for merchandise. A records check showed he has been convicted of three or more previous thefts.
He is charged with Theft of Property under $2500 with two or more previous convictions, a state jail felony.
Laredo Man Found to Have 95lbs of Marijuana During Traffic Stop
A traffic stop by Sulphur Springs Police at the 130 mile-marker on I-30 this weekend found Rigoberto Juarez, 51, of Laredo in possession of 95lbs of Marijuana. While being booked into jail, a $1 bill with suspected cocaine residue and a clear plastic bag of suspected cocaine was also found in his possession.
Juarez is in Hopkins County Jail charged with Felony 2 Possession Marijuana more than 50lbs but less than 2,000lbs. He is being held on a $50,000 bond.
