SSHS Soccer Lady Cats’ Lara Signs With SAGU
Lady Cats’ soccer play Erika Lara has signed a letter of intent to play soccer and to go to school at Southwestern Assemblies of God University in Waxahachie. The signing took place on the practice field in the Multipurpose Building Thursday morning (December 14). The signing was attended by many of Lara’s Lady Cats’ teammates.
Erika is the daughter of Juan and Gloria Lara. SAGU is a four-year school that competes in NAIA Division 1 in the Sooner Athletic Conference. Lara said SAGU Lions Coach Paul Hason saw her play in a showcase tournament. Lara said she liked team members and the campus. She said the Lions have done well. Lara said she plans to study criminal justice and to become a lawyer.
She said she has high hopes for this year’s Lady Cats’ team. Lara wants the Lady Cats to win district and to play as long as they can in the playoffs. Lady Cats Coach Joel Bailey said he was proud of Lara adding it is an honor to play at the collegiate level. He said he would like to take a bus of his players to see Lara play. Lara’s club coach from Plano was also present. He called Lara a hard worker. He gave credit to father Juan for bringing her to practice an hour and a half away several times a week.
SAGU Soccer Coach Paul Hason, in his second year, said his team broke all school records last year making it to the final four before losing in a semifinal game. He said he was excited to have Lara. Lara plays center back for the Lady Cats and Coach Hason said he intends to keep Lara on defense. He said no one gets by her. Coach Hason said Lara sacrifices her body to keep players away from the goal. He said she has grit and he added that’s a characteristic he looks for in players. Coach Hason said Lara will be part of a good class of recruits.
PJC-Sulpur Springs Blend Club Assists Local CANHelp
BLEND CLUB HELPS The Blend Club, a service organization on the PJC-Sulphur Springs Center campus, collected diapers for CANHELP in Sulphur Springs to fill a need during the Christmas season. Donations by students and faculty made the project a huge success. Blend Club member Nicky Cline, left, and club sponsor Instructor Mayra Cummings, right, presents the diapers to Joanne Allison from CANHELP.
Video Presentation: Two Well-Known Local Attorneys Transition Into Retirement
Two Sulphur Springs attorneys will be transitioning to retirement at the end of the year. Aggie die-hard Joel Sheffield will close his practice and move to College Station to be closer to his Alma-mater. William T “Tommy” Allison, II, will move from his Sulphur Springs practice to a reduced pace at his home office on an area lake.
Win the Tacky Christmas Sweater Contest at Ladies Night Out Dec. 21, Sponsored by DBA Fun, Food and Fashion Retailers
Ladies, “your” night out is on the calendar for Thursday December 21 at 6pm on Main Street downtown. Talk about getting all the fun, food and fashion retailers in one place, the Downtown Business Alliance has done it for this once-a-year event to celebrate the shopping magic of the holidays. What to wear? Your tackiest Christmas sweater, of course! The Best Tacky Christmas Sweater prize is a $50 MasterCard gift card. There are dozens of local merchants sponsoring this event presentation with fabulous door prizes, so visit each one and register while discovering the treasures our shopping districts have to offer. Plan to stick around til 8pm, must be present to win the Tacky Sweater contest inside The Venue 219!
CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs Receives an “A” for Patient Safety in Fall 2017 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade
Sulphur Springs, Texas – The Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit organization committed to driving quality, safety, and transparency in the U.S. health care system, today released new Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades, which assign A, B, C, D and F letter grades to hospitals nationwide. CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs was one of 823 hospitals to receive an “A” for its commitment to reducing errors, infections, and accidents that can harm patients. This is the first time CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs has earned an “A” in the facility’s history.
“Patient Safety is a critical component of our care at CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System,” said Fadi Nasrallah, M.D., Vice President of Medical Affairs and Chief Quality Officer for CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System. “Our entire medical staff and every member of our team give their all every day to ensure that our patients are cared for in the safest environment possible, and we will continue to build upon this success and seek to continually improve patient safety at CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System.”
“To be recognized with an ‘A’ by Leapfrog is an honor we are very proud to receive,” said Paul Harvey, MHA, President and Chief Executive Officer of CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospitals – Sulphur Springs and Winnsboro. “We have worked very hard to get to this point and earn this recognition. Because our goal is to continually improve the safety and quality of the care we provide, we hope this is something we will be celebrating again when the Spring ratings are released.”
“It takes consistent, unwavering dedication to patients to achieve the highest standards of patient safety. An ‘A’ Safety Grade recognizes hospitals for this accomplishment,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “We congratulate the clinicians, Board, management and staff of CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs for showing the country what it means to put patient safety first.”
Developed under the guidance of an Expert Panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 30 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign A, B, C, D and F grades to more than 2,600 U.S. hospitals twice per year. It is calculated by top patient safety experts, peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public.
“Without the tireless dedication of the medical staff, physicians and all our Associates over the course of several years, this honor would not be possible,” said Harvey. “Earning such recognition for our safety is a wonderful indication of the commitment CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs exhibits toward our mission to extend the healing ministry of Jesus Christ toward Northeast Texas.”
To see CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs’ full grade, and to access consumer-friendly patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit www.hospitalsafetygrade.org or follow the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade on Twitter or Facebook. Consumers can also download the free Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade mobile app for Apple and Android devices.
Senior Citizen’s Annual Christmas Party Is Friday Dec 15 For Local Seniors!
December 2017 – According to Senior’s Director Karon Weatherman, here’s a reminder about the Annual Christmas Party at the Senior Citizens Center at 150 MLK Drive in Sulphur Springs, Texas. on Friday, December 15th at 11:00. The party will begin after BINGO.
Please bring a Gift to exchange between $ 5.00 – $10.00 value and
your favorite Christmas Treat (Finger Foods) to share.
There will be games and Santa will be here for a Photo with those who attend.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO OUR SENIOR CITIZEN’S COMMUNITY!!
Chamber Connection December 14, 2017
Attention All Chamber Members…. Membership Directories are being prepared NOW!!!
Chamber Members, we are going to print with the 2018 Membership Directory. We are going to have it ready for distribution the first part of January, so we need you to do a few things…
- Please go to HopkinsChamber.org and click in the directory search. Please check to make sure that we have the correct information for your business. We have been trying to check and recheck it, but we need your help to make sure everything is correct.
- If your membership investment is past due, payment arrangements need to be made prior to December 22nd to be included in the 2018 Directory.
3) If you find information that needs to be corrected, please call the Chamber at 903-885-6515. If you are interested in placing an ad in the directory, please contact Lee Ann Peugh at Echo Publishing at 903-885-8663.
Would you like to recognize an Outstanding Educator?
Here is your chance…this year the Chamber of Commerce Education Committee wants to allow all Hopkins County Citizens to nominate their candidates for “Outstanding Professional Educator” (Administrator, Counselor, Diagnostician, or Teacher) “Outstanding Para Professional Educator” (Secretary or Aide) and “Outstanding Auxiliary Educator” (Maintenance, Custodial, Transportation, Nurse or Cafeteria). We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to nominate that “special educator” that has had an impact in their lives. You may pick up a nomination form at the Chamber office at 300 Connally Street and then either fax, e-mail or mail it in, no later than December 31st! Our fax number is 903-885-6516, our e-mail address is [email protected], and our mailing address is also 300 Connally Street, Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. Don’t miss this opportunity to recognize a special educator!
Nominations for Large and Small Business of the Year!
Please submit your nomination for Large Business of the Year or Small Business of the Year. Nominations should be for those businesses which exhibit outstanding community involvement—civic, church, educational, benevolent, humanitarian or other. You may pick up a nomination form at the Chamber office at 300 Connally Street and either fax, e-mail or mail it in, no later than December 31st! Our fax number is 903-885-6516, our e-mail address is [email protected] and our mailing address is 300 Connally Street, Sulphur Springs, TX 75482.
Community Players presents A Good Old Fashioned Redneck Country Christmas
Community Players presents A Good Old Fashioned Redneck Country Christmas at the Main Street Theater located at 225 Main Street in Sulphur Springs. The show will run December 8th through the 17th on Fridays and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are available at MSTSULPHURSPRINGS.COM or by calling (903) 885-0107.
DBA presents Ladies Night Out
Downtown Business Alliance is hosting a Ladies Night Out on Thursday, December 21st. Wear your Ugly Sweater and shop at the local downtown businesses to win prizes. Plan to shop between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. to win your prizes! Have fun!
Carter BloodCare is hosting a blood drive in Sulphur Springs
Carter BloodCare is hosting a blood drive in Sulphur Springs on Thursday, December 28th at Jay Hodge Chevrolet from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. They will move to Brookshires that afternoon from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. If you are interested in hosting a blood drive, please call Lanie Wright at 903-571-9667.
Hunt Regional is offering December Mobile Mammography Coach in Sulphur Springs
Hunt County Regional Hospital is offering the Tubby Adkisson Memorial Mobile Mammography Coach on December 28th in the Spring Village Shopping Center in Sulphur Springs. All insurances accepted at Hunt Regional are also accepted for the Mobile Mammography Coach, including Medicare and Medicaid. They can also help with payment resources for uninsured/income-eligible women or those who choose to pay cash. For help with payment resources please call The Bridge Breast Network at (214) 821-3820 x 21. To schedule individual screening mammograms, please call (903) 408-5010. Appointments and pre-registration are requested.
Lezley Brown
President/CEO
Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce
300 Connally Street
Sulphur Springs, TX 75482
903-885-6515-office
903-885-6516-fax
www.sulphursprings-tx.com
Koenig Pleas to 15 Years in TDCJ for Aggravated Robbery
December 13, 2017 – Jason Floyd Koenig, Jr., 20, of Winnsboro, was sentenced to 15 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice following his guilty plea for Aggravated Robbery entered Wednesday in Eighth Judicial District Court. According to Assistant District Attorney Matt Harris, Koenig will be eligible for parole after he has served seven and one-half years.
Jason Floyd Koenig, Jr
In July, 2015, Koenig, then 18, was arrested for aggravated robbery of a couple. Koenig used a .22-caliber pistol. The robbery took place at Highway 11 West and Country Road 4703 Century Lake Road in July, 2015. Koenig took a wallet and a purse. A short time later, he was arrested by Hopkins County Deputies. In his vehicle the deputies found a .22 pistol, brass knuckles, stolen property, drug paraphernalia, and some marijuana. Two Xanax pills were found on his person during book in.
Koenig initially received probation primarily because of his age and was sent to SAFPF, a drug rehab program, according to Harris. Wednesday, his parole was revoked for committing new offenses including theft, possession, lying about his identity, and forgery of government/national instrument.
President’s Day Candidate Forum Set for February 29, 2018; Tickets Now On Sale
On February 19th 2018, the Hopkins County Republican Party will be hosting its 7th biennial President’s Day Candidate Forum. In 2006 Chairman Chris Brown started the candidate forum and it was attended by less that fifty people. In 2016, there were over 300 people in attendance. It is anticipated, this year, there will be 350 or more in attendance. The Forum will be held in the main hall of the Hopkins County Civic Center. The HC GOP party is working with Senator Bob Hall’s office to confirm the Key Note Speaker. We have several requests in the que and we will have a great speaker; but, most speakers will not commit to engagements more than 60 days prior to the event.
Candidates are invited to speak and questions will be asked. The party will be sending emails informing candidates of the speaking guidelines.
The doors will open at 5 PM and individuals are invited to participate in the silent auction. Seating will begin at 5:45 PM and the Flags will be posted at 6:00 PM. After posting of flags and Prayer, a Bar-B-Que dinner will be catered by the McCoy’s.
At 6:30 Live auction will begin and at 7:00 PM the Keynote speaker will speak.
After the keynote speaker, the candidates will take questions and then make a brief closing statement. Again, the speaking time depends on how many candidates attend the event.
Hopkins County Republican Party Chair Donnie Wisenbaker says he is asking everyone to send to him by email, [email protected], “…questions you would like to be asked of the candidates. Please do make questions specific to an individual. Make questions that can be answered by all candidates running for a particular office. I cut and paste questions so the question screening committee cannot see who asked the questions. The committee decides on what questions should be asked the candidates. Please submit your questions to me by January 15th 2018. Candidates are encouraged to submit questions they would like asked.”
The purpose of this Candidate Forum is twofold, first to be informative so the voters can hear the candidates speak and answer questions, and the second is to raise funds for the Hopkins County Republican Party. The funds raised go to support Republican candidates in the General Election and to support the functions of the party which are: fund fall festival booth, party headquarters, and etc.
Tickets are being sold by the local candidates, GOP Women’s Club Chair Angela Price, and Wisenbaker. The cost of tickets is $15.00. There will be no tickets sold at the door.
