Mitchell Chapel Annual “Rescue the Perishing” Grocery Give Away is Saturday
This Saturday, December 9, 2017, Starting at 8:00 a.m. Mitchell Chapel COGIC will be having their Annual “Rescue The Perishing” Grocery Give Away. This is free to the community to help those in need this holiday season. There will be plenty of bags full of chicken, canned goods, cake mixes, flour and etc. So stop by Mitchell Chapel COGIC, 402 South Jackson Street, and come get you a bag for yourself, your family member or a friend.
They will start promptly at 8:00 a.m. until they run out so get there early… Need any additional information, please call Sis. Jackie Jackson at (903) 348-6132 or Sis. Carnell Hall-Alex At (469) 363-9545.
“We Are Here To Serve The Whole Man Spiritually And Physically”
Tira News December 8, 2017
by Jan Vaughn
The Tira City Council met at the Community Center for their regular quarterly meeting on Tuesday, December 5th.
The Community Christmas Party is this Saturday, December 9th, at 6:00 p.m. Brisket and tea will be provided. Residents are asked to bring a side dish and/or dessert to share and canned goods for the Tira Food Pantry. Santa will be stopping by to visit with the kids. Come enjoy a time of good food, fun, and fellowship.
Robert and Yvonne Weir’s daughter and son-in-law, Destri and Eben, and family spent last weekend with them. Yvonne reports, “We enjoyed the Weir Christmas Party at the Community Center on Saturday. We were blessed to have our whole family there.”
Yvonne adds, “We had the ‘My Heroes’ bowling party at the center on Sunday and the athletes had a wonderful meal prepared by volunteers. They enjoyed playing a game with their gift exchange.”
Chip, Tiffany, Jaidyn, and I went to Joe’s German Restaurant on Friday evening. We enjoyed the food and the oldies music, performed by C-Dale Cummings, and then we met Laiken, Rylan, and Brailon and their friends on the square to watch the Christmas parade. It was fun to see the kids’ faces light up as the beautiful lighted floats passed by.
Rylan, Brailon, and Slaiden Joslin spend Saturday night with us and went to church with us on Sunday. Tiffany and Jaidyn joined us for lunch.
Chip and I attended the Christmas party for First Baptist Church preschool workers and their guests at Arturo’s on Monday night. We enjoyed a wonderful meal and visiting.
I always need and appreciate input from my friends to help keep me informed of news in our community. If you have any news pertaining to Tira residents, past or present, please contact me, Jan Vaughn, at 903-945-2190 or 903-438-6688 or [email protected].
Chamber Connection December 7, 2017
Thank you to everyone who attended the Economic Outlook Conference on Wednesday, December 6th. Mr. Rich Froeschle spoke to an attentive crowd about the economic outlook for Hopkins County while incorporating workforce information. It was a wonderful presentation! If you were not able to make it, I hope you will make plans to attend in the future. We had a wonderful day!
Danna’s Southern Charm is hosting a Christmas Open House
Danna’s Southern Charm & The Florist is hosting a Christmas Open House on Saturday, December 9th from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. They are located at 438 Gilmer Street in Sulphur Springs. Have your children visit Santa and Mrs. Claus from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Rockstar & Co Photography will take pictures for a $20 donation to local charities. Come in and enjoy 50% off all Christmas décor, 30% off a single item, refreshments, and other sales.
SisterBaby’s is hosting their annual Style Show
Sisterbaby’s is hosting their annual Style Show on Saturday, December 9th at the Venue at two nineteen located at 219 Main Street in Sulphur Springs. The show will be held at 6 p.m. Please make plans to come enjoy this wonderful and fun evening!
The Reilly Springs Jamboree is hosting a special dance
The Reilly Springs Jamboree is not having their regular third Saturday Jamboree. Instead, they are hosting a special Christmas Jamboree Dance on Saturday, December 9th, at the Sulphur Springs Senior Citizens Center located at 150 Martin Luther King Drive in Sulphur Springs. Admission is $10 per person or by donation. Make plans to go by, listen to some music, enjoy refreshments and be on your way OR stay for the entire evening and dance the night away to favorite country/western music performed by some of the best country musicians in the area, including recording artists Don Woods Jr. and Shanna Carter. What a wonderful way to enjoy some country music and support the fundraising efforts of the Senior Citizen Center at the same time!
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 8th at the Sulphur Springs Imaging Center, and 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
Saltillo Lions, Lady Lions Pick Up Wins Tuesday
Both the Saltillo Lions and the Saltillo Lady Lions picked up varsity wins against CHESS Tuesday night. The Lions won 76-30. They built their lead outscoring CHESS in every quarter. Matthew Gurley led the Lions with 23 points. Lyle Bench and Walker McGill scored 12 points each. Trevor Moore had 9, Levi Hoover had 8 Chris Boekhorst has 7, Branson McGill and Michael Clover had 2 each and Ryan Prewitt had 1 point. The Lions improved their season record to 6-8. They face McLeod in a McLeod tournament Thursday at 1:30 p.m.
The Lady Lions defeated CHESS 51-41. CHESS actually led at halftime, 26-24 but then the Lady Lions outscored them 21-3 in a big third quarter to take a 45-29 lead. The Lady Lions held on in the fourth quarter to get the win. Madison Simmons had 24 points for Saltillo. Jocelyn Ochoa had 7 points. Jordan Sustaire and Maddie Smith had 6 points. Chandler Bain and Tori Mobley scored 5 points apiece. The Lady Lions are now 5-11 for the season.
UIL State Executive Committee Reverses District 16-5A Ruling
The State Executive Committee of the University Interscholastic League (UIL) has ruled in favor of the Sulphur Springs ISD in a case involving the eligibility of a student athlete. The decision reverses a decision of the District 16-5A Executive Committee that ruled the player ineligible for allegedly changing schools for athletic purposes.
Sulphur Springs School Superintendent Michael Lamb presented the appeal before UIL officials Wednesday morning (December 6). The hearing had been originally scheduled for November 8 but was postponed for a month due to back problems Lamb was having then that prevented him from attending. The player involved is now immediately eligible to play varsity sports.
Como-Pickton FFA, Skills USA, FCCLA Thanks Community for Support
Como-Pickton FFA, Skills USA and FCCLA would like to thank the community for their continued support at our annual Stew and Auction. Thank you to everyone who took the time to come out and support us by purchasing auction items.
Jalufka Farms
Humphrey Farms
Farm Country
David Lawson
Ed Moore
Northeast Texas Farmers Coop
Hopkins – Rains County Farm Bureau
Danny Cooksey Brad Johnson Bell Concrete
Black Oak Construction Keith Monk Vallenga Farms,
Amber Thomas Jerry Busby City National Bank
Legacy Ag Credit Greg & Melissa Busby Farms Cliff & Holly Neal
Alliance Bank Ag Power Mark & Amy Sustaire
John & Lesa Wilburn Nor-Tex Tractor Super Handy
CBJ Embroidery Leslie Ross Amber Thomas
Iohr Farms Jessi Morgan Freddy Chamnass
Greg & Courtney Anglin Rusty Nail Mike Odell
Parker Auctions Northeast Texas Disposal Maurice Flora
Bartley Auctions Lanora Matthews
Thank you to everyone who contributed by donating items for the auction:
1 – on – 1 Nutrition Hopkins County Vet Clinic
Bell Brush Busters Betty Flora
Holly Neal Danny Davis
Gerald Walters Greg Anglin
GMB Farms – Greg and Melissa Busby John and Lesa Wilburn
Northeast Texas Farmers Coop Linda Morgan
Jalufka Farms Martindale Feed Mill
Mr. and Mrs. Kelly Baird Roger Claxton
Thank you to our stew cooks, Linda Morgan and Burke Bullock for donating their time and expertise.
Dinner Bell Sponsored by Lowe’s Distribution
This week’s Dinner Bell was sponsored and served by Lowe’s Distribution in Mt. Vernon. The meal included spaghetti and meat sauce, roasted squash and zucchini, garden salad, garlic bread, cookies and a sugar-free lemon pudding for dessert. Dinner Bell is a weekly community meal served on Wednesdays at 11:45 at the First United Methodist Church. If you or your business would like to participate in Dinner Bell, call FUMC at (903) 885-2185.
Public Forum Dominates December City Council Meeting
Public Forum took much of the time of the Sulphur Springs City Council Tuesday night, December 5, 2017, as the council allowed extended time to Marty Brown of Wisconsin. Locally, Mr. Brown’s corporation, DOUBLE INSANITY INVESTMENTS LLC, owns the building that once housed Lou Viney’s Restaurant and Pub. Double Insanity Investments, LLC shows to be a Texas corporation with Martin C. Brown and Tamara M. Brown as officers. Mr. Brown addressed what he called a high level of cronyism in both the city of Sulphur Springs and Hopkins County.
Mr. Brown’s accusations of cronyism date back to 2016 when he sought to have the tax appraisal of his property on Main Street lowered. A check by KSST News in 2016 showed that his appraisal was in line with other businesses of equal square footage. He did approach the Tax Appraisal District and eventually went before the Appraisal Review Board. The board reduced his appraisal from the 2016 level of $142,270 to the 2017 level of $90,260. When Mr. Brown ended the lease with Lou Viney’s, social media took him to task. In response, he wanted city staff to see the trashy condition the restaurant left in the building when they moved out. City Staff refused siting no productive result if they did view the building. Mr. Brown posted a two page “manifesto” against the city at that time.
In his Tuesday night accusation of cronyism, he accused the city council of being a part of the city and county “Good Ole Boys Club”. Mr. Brown had sought and received a sign permit for his building to place on his current building a sign that would read “Good Ole Boys Gentlemen’s Club”. The sign has yet to be put in place. His accusations made Tuesday night focused on City Manager Marc Maxwell and the three councilmen who hold seats that will be on the 2018 municipal ballot. He also made specific accusations against Councilwoman Emily Glass and Mayor John Sellers.
Mr. Brown accused the council of not managing the city manager. He stated that if the city manager violates the law and the city council condones it or is aware of it and does nothing, the council is derelict in its duty. Mr. Brown stated that Manager Maxwell told police to release into his custody an individual arrested for drunk and disorderly conduct. He also accused the District Attorney and the Chief of Police for doing nothing in response to his complaint regarding the action of Mr. Maxwell. Both the DA and Chief of Police noted that Mr. Maxwell was operating within his rights and the law as an adult member of society according to Texas Law, Article 14.031 in the Code of Criminal Procedure (which follows):
Art. 14.031. PUBLIC INTOXICATION. (a) In lieu of arresting an individual who is not a child, as defined by Section 51.02, Family Code, and who commits an offense under Section 49.02, Penal Code, a peace officer may release the individual if: (1) the officer believes detention in a penal facility is unnecessary for the protection of the individual or others; and (2) the individual: (A) is released to the care of an adult who agrees to assume responsibility for the individual; or (B) verbally consents to voluntary treatment for chemical dependency in a program in a treatment facility licensed and approved by the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, and the program admits the individual for treatment. (b) A magistrate may release from custody an individual who is not a child, as defined by Section 51.02, Family Code, and who is arrested under Section 49.02, Penal Code, if the magistrate determines the individual meets the conditions required for release in lieu of arrest under Subsection (a) of this article.
(c) The release of an individual under Subsection (a) or (b) of this article to an alcohol or drug treatment program may not be considered by a peace officer or magistrate in determining whether the individual should be released to such a program for a subsequent incident or arrest under Section 49.02, Penal Code.
(d) A peace officer and the agency or political subdivision that employs the peace officer may not be held liable for damage to persons or property that results from the actions of an individual released under Subsection (a) or (b) of this article.
Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, Sec. 1.04, eff. Sept. 1, 1994.
Mr. Brown did not cite the Texas Penal Code but did state the only reason for Mr. Maxwell’s action was “Good Ole Boys Club”.
Mr. Brown also questioned the integrity of Councilwoman Emily Glass when he questioned her use of the word “integrity” during a public discuss regarding emergency personnel. He also questioned what Mayor John Sellers had done following his complaint to the mayor regarding what he called Manager Maxwell’s violation of the law.
By law, the council was unable to publicly respond to Mr. Brown’s accusations. However, following the meeting Ms. Glass offered to meet with Mr. Brown personally but no one present for the meeting responded to Mr. Brown’s request for a witness to the conversation. No member of council could serve as a witness or they would violate the open meetings act. No one from the public volunteered.
In other action:
Sulphur Springs City Council approved the second and final reading of an ordinance abandoning a portion of Gladys Alexander Drive and will convey the property to KCS Railroad. The railroad will, in turn, create a pedestrian crossing in a different location where Crosstown Trail will cross the tracks.
Council also approved on first reading an ordinance authorizing the execution of a certain special warranty deed conveying certain property of the City of Sulphur Springs to Billie Ruth Standbridge. The sale will be at fair market value of $400,000. Ms. Standbridge will build improvements to the site worth more than a million dollars.
Lot 10 in Pioneer Business Park replat was approved. The plat will allow J B Weld to consolidate their property on the one lot.
Jonathan Newsom was appointed as an alternate to the Zoning Board of Adjustments.
City Manager’s Report Presented December 5, 2017
PAMPA STREET – The sewer line is finished, and the water line is finished. I expect our contractor, Texana Land and Asphalt, to cement-stabilize the base and repave the street this month.
STREET IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM – Expect the following streets to be repaved in December: Calvert, Junell, Beth/Rasure/Rose and a portion of Gossett Lane. Also expect portions of Woodside Lane to be reconstructed totaling 400 linear feet.
CANTEX FORCE MAIN – This will be our next capital improvement project. It will replace 2,400 linear feet of aging sewer force main and 2,900 feet of gravity main. Currently the main passes through the middle of the hospital complex. This would be a nightmare if the main ever ruptures. The proposed route would go around the hospital complex rather than through it. One third of the city’s sewage passes through this line.
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT – The work at the wastewater treatment plant is on schedule. The three primary clarifier basins have been constructed, and backfilling continues. Other concrete structures adjacent to the clarifiers are under construction.
CROSSTOWN TRAIL – The Capital Construction Division began constructing the Crosstown Trail in November. This grant-funded project will connect Buford Park to Coleman Park as well as the high school/civic center complex with a concrete path. It will also replace the sidewalk on the north side of Connally Street.
CLAIMS – There were no liability claims or workers compensation claims in November.
REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES – Finance Director, Peter Karstens will present a year-to-date summary of revenues and expenditures.
Elsewhere around the city, employees:
- Applied pre-emergent on all athletic fields.
- Edged all sidewalks and curbs at Buford, Pacific and Coleman Parks.
- Prepared all bathrooms for winter.
- Repaired 589 potholes and made 9 street repairs following utility repairs.
- Graded and smoothed Pipeline Road.
- Demolished a house at 622 Mulberry.
- Decorated downtown for Christmas.
- Conducted 14 building inspections, 13 electrical inspections, 15 plumbing inspections, 2 mechanical inspections and issued 28 building permits.
- Checked out 2,749 items from the library, and 457 eBooks.
- Made 4 felony arrests in the Special Crimes Unit.
- Responded to 181 animal control calls, achieving an adoption rate of 53%.
- Recorded 74 offenses, wrote 487 traffic Citations, made 74 arrests and responded to 38 accidents including 9 injuries and 0 deaths.
- Sold 2,438 Gallons of AvGas and 8,458 Gallons of JetA fuel.
- Installed lights at Pacific Park.
- Repaired 4 water main ruptures.
- Replaced 9 water meters.
- Unstopped 10 sewer mains.
- Achieved a daily average total suspended solids reading of 1.90 mg/L at the wastewater treatment plant. Our limit is 15mg/L.
- Washed 75,000 feet of sewer main.
- Televised and smoke tested sewer segments 1 and 2, and made repairs.
- Flushed 35 dead end water mains.
- Treated 130 million gallons of potable water.
Marc Maxwell, Sulphur Springs City Manager
