Local Dairy Legend Passes Away, Just Short of 100 Years Of Age
Wilma White, matriarch of one of the oldest dairying families in Hopkins County, passed away peacefully at her home on December 15, 2017. Wilma was 99 years old, and just one month short of her 100th birthday. Her late husband Eldon White established White’s Dairy in 1935 right after they married, just as the new industry was starting to take hold in the county. According to Wilma in a 2015 interview, her father gave them their first cows and the herd began to grow, as did their family.
White’s Dairy was one of the first to modernize with milking machines. Their milk is shipped out mainly to the eastern United States. They haven’t been limited to just dairy cattle; the family also produced pigs, ponies and a prosperous garden. Today, the Whites still raise award-winning horses in their equine operation.
During the last years of her life, Wilma served as a consultant for her son Gerald who does the daily milking chores at the barn along I-30, now located inside the city limits. Her daughter Theresa manages the horse business which was honored in 2014 as a Legacy Breeder by AQHA for fifty continuous years of raising foals. Wilma regularly rode along in the pickup to check the cows and the horses, including twice during the final week of her life.
Five daughters and a son survive, she was preceded in death by her husband and two sons.
Services will be held on Sulphur Springs on Thursday December 21, 2017 at 11 am at Murray Orwosky Funeral Home with burial at Restlawn Memorial Park.
EDITORS NOTE: JOURNALIST CINDY ROLLER CONTRIBUTED TO THIS ARTICLE
Wilma White in 2015
Winnsboro Woman Arrested for Assault Public Servant; Outstanding Warrants
December 20, 2017 – Jessica Elizabeth Bruce, 34, of Winnsboro, kicked a Hopkins County Deputy in the chest as she refused to exit her vehicle following a stop for a defective tail lamp. The stop led to the deputy being informed by dispatch of outstanding warrants for Bruce.
When informed of the outstanding warrants, Bruce was asked to step out of the vehicle. She refused to leave her vehicle until “…she was given proof of the warrants” according to the deputy’s report. The deputy called for backup. When the second deputy arrived, Bruce was resisting arrest and kicked one of the deputies.
Bruce was arrested for Assault Public Servant and two warrants for issuing worthless check in Louisiana and defrauding a financial institution in Illinois. She is in Hopkins County Jail held on a total of $30,000 in bonds.
Cumby Arrests Nets Over 400-g of THC
A Toyota with a defective headlight caught the attention of Cumby Police Officer Ray Embro at 1:35 a.m. Wednesday morning. Officer Embro made contact with the driver, Travis Allen Shipley, 28, of Garland.
The officer identified the faint odor of marijuana but was denied permission to search the vehicle. Officer Embro advised Shipley that he had probable cause to search the vehicle. Before beginning the search Shipley advised Embro that illegal contraband was in the vehicle and told him it was in a brown box in the left rear floorboard. The box contained a large amount of marijuana and Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) packages.
Shipley was arrested for Possession of the Controlled Substance Penalty Group 2 more than 400-grams and for Possession of Marijuana more than 4oz but less than 5lbs, a state jail felony. He is being held in Hopkins County Jail on bonds totaling $50,000.
Wildcats Defeat Pine Tree 70-50
The Wildcats’ basketball team, ranked #11 in Class 5A, used a 19-0 run late in the second quarter and early in the third quarter to win their district opener against a pesky Pine Tree team, 70-50 Tuesday night in Wildcats Gym.
When the run started, the Wildcats actually trailed the Pirates, 32-29. The Wildcats scored the last 12 points in the second quarter to take a 41-32 lead into halftime. After the break, the Wildcats scored to first seven points in the third quarter to extend their lead to 48-32. The Wildcats were never seriously threatened after that.
Wildcat junior Keaston Willis was a big part of the run as he scored 16 third quarter points on his way to a game high 23 points. Willis hit five three-pointers. Junior post Victor Iwuakor proved too much for the Pirates inside. He scored 10 first quarter points and ended up with 19 points for the game. Sophomore Michael Jefferson scored 10 points including two three-point baskets. Sophomore Godsgift Ezedinma added 9 points. Senior Bryson Lynn had five points including a three. Senior Dedric Godbolt had 4 points including a thundering dunk on a fast break that sent the crowd into a frenzy. All thirteen Wildcats’ players got some playing time.
The Wildcats survived ten successful three-point shots by the Pirates that kept them in the game, especially in the first half. Pirate Guard Isaiah Lawson led the Pirates with 14 points including four three-pointers. Pine Tree cooled off in the third quarter and the Wildcats held them to only 6 points.
The Wildcats have now won nine games in a row and they improved their season record to 16-1. After a Christmas break, the Wildcats will play in a three-day Allen tournament beginning December 28 and featuring lots of Class 6A teams, some with top 25 rankings.
The Wildcats resume district play at Marshall on January 2.
Alleged Buy of Small Amount of Marijuana Led to Sunday’s Shooting Death
In evidence gathered, a dispute over an alleged buy of a small amount of marijuana led to the shooting death of 18-year old Tyrese Pryor and Felony 1 murder charges and four counts of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon filed against 17-year old Gavin Gilbert. The alleged sale was between Gilbert and one of five passengers in a truck on County Road 1185 just off FM 1567 in the South Liberty area of Hopkins County. Investigations and evidence collection conducted by the Texas Ranger and Hopkins County Sheriff’s investigators and deputies are nearing an end according to law enforcement.
In the allegations of those present in the truck at the scene at the time of the incident, they had traveled Sunday evening, December 17th, to the CR 1185 location to purchase a small amount of marijuana. During the alleged sale, those present said a gun was produced and the driver of the truck began to speed away. That’s when 9-mm shots were fired into the back window and cab of the pickup as it drove away. It was said that Pryor was sitting in the back seat behind the driver of the vehicle. According to those present, they were fortunate more were not hurt in the incident.
The vehicle was driven to the Hopkins Country Fire Department Station 20 at Arbala Road and Texas Street seeking help for Pryor. From there he was transported to CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital where he was pronounced dead by Justice of the Peace B. J. Teer. Gilbert was arrested when the Texas Ranger, DPS, and the combined Hopkins County/Sulphur Springs SWAT team served a warrant around 2 a.m. Monday morning at the Gilbert home.
Gilbert is in Hopkins County Jail being held on a $2-million bond for murder and $500,000 bond on each of the four counts of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon.
Game Day: Wildcats Host Pine Tree
Wildcats Basketball Coach Clark Cipoletta says in his three years as Wildcats head coach, his team has never been able to defeat Pine Tree by much of a margin. The Wildcats, ranked #11 in Class 5A, open district play in their last game before the Christmas break as they play host to Pine Tree in Wildcats Gym Tuesday night. There will be a freshman game at 5 p.m. a JV game at 6:15 p.m. and the varsity game at 7:30 p.m.
As good as the Wildcats were last year, they could only win a pair of squeakers against the Pirates. In Pine Tree last December, the Wildcats had to rally in the fourth quarter to pull out a 69-65 win. It’s one I called the Dane Rutherford game. Last year’s senior Rutherford took a key charge late in the game and then hit a put back shot to fuel the win. Then in late January in Wildcats Gym, Pine Tree forced overtime before the Wildcats prevailed 66-56. Coach Cipoletta calls Pine Tree scrappy and well coached with a new head coach this season. He says the Pirates are tall and athletic with some good guards. Coach Cipoletta remembers Pirate J.J. Sparkman, a 6-foot-5 player, named the district’s newcomer of the year last year as a freshman. He says the Pirates play hard and seem to find a way to stay close near the end of the game. Coach Cipoletta says a key for the Wildcats in any district game is to come in focused.
The Wildcats come into the game with a 15-1 season record and they have won eight straight games. We will bring you all the action of Wildcats’ basketball tonight on KSST Radio starting at around 7:30 p.m. We will also videotape the game for replay at a later date on Channel 18 on Suddenlink Cable.
Harrison Endorsed for Judge, County Court at Law by Hopkins County Law Enforcement Association
Clay Harrison, candidate for Judge Hopkins County Court at Law the Republican March Primary Ballot was endorsed for the seat by the Hopkins County Law Enforcement Association Tuesday, December 19, 2017. Harrison is currently an Eight Judicial District Assistant District Attorney. Members of the association shown here with Harrison, center, include, left to right, Chief Deputy Jace Anglin, Investigator Wade Sheets, Sheriff Lewis Tatum, Investigator Dennis Finley, Investigator Charles Humphries, Chief Investigator Corley Weatherford.
Jury Selection Underway Tuesday for Retaliation Trial
Tuesday morning (December 19, 2017) in 8th Judicial District Court, selection began for a jury to hear the trial of Robert Alan Hawkins for Retaliation. Hawkins, of Dallas, is charged with making threats against a member of the local judicial system.
When threats were made the local judge, Eighth District Judge Eddie Northcutt contacted Lewis Tatum, Hopkins County Sheriff. Tatum called on the Texas Rangers and the U S Marshall’s office to locate Hawkins. He was found by the Rangers and Marshalls working on a construction site in Plano, where he was a carpenter’s helper.
The trial will be heard by a visiting judge. Hawkins Is currently in Hopkins County jail on a bench warrant.
