Tira News: January 26th, 2018
By Jan Vaughn
We want to express our sympathy to Brenda and Bill Moss. Brenda’s son, Steven Ridge passed away at age 40. He leaves behind his wife Ashley, 3-year old son Ellis, and 7-month old daughter Addy. Please be in prayer for the family.
Yvonne Weir shares, “Destri, Eben, and Nico visited us last weekend. Nick is at a cute stage!” She adds, “On Friday night, Wesley got to shoot baskets at half-time at Cooper High School. The girls team cheered for him and he did a good job making shots. On Monday night he played basketball with the Pilot Club Hoop Dreams team.”
Chip, and I were in Campbell for our granddaughter Jaidyn’s first Little Dribblers game on Saturday. Tiffany and friends, Brittany and Megan, were there, too, as well as Malcolm Joslin, Jaidyn’s dad. We all went for pizza after the game.
I guess not much is going on in Tira. I hope to have more to report next time.
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].
Walk the Walk to Lighten Up, East Texas By Johanna Hicks
Walk the Walk to Lighten Up, East Texas!
Last week, this column focused on how we can help stop or slow the spread of germs during this cold and flu season. Thanks for the positive feedback! Along the lines of health and wellness, I want to tell you about an opportunity that will kick off in February, just in time to get in shape for the spring and summer months!
Be a part of Walk Across Texas! What is Walk Across Texas? Walk Across Texas! is a free 8-week program designed to help Texans establish the habit of regular physical activity. Solo walkers or teams of 8 track physical activity with the goal of hitting 833 miles – the distance from El Paso to Beaumont.
Why do it? Over two-thirds of Texans do not meet the recommended daily physical activity levels of 30 minutes per day. Walking is one of the least expensive and easiest ways to exercise, and just 30 minutes a day will improve your overall health and help you to meet your Lighten Up East Texas goals. In 2017, 16 participants at the Early Childhood Learning Center in Sulphur Springs logged a combined 2,287 miles. Additionally, 4 other Hopkins County teams logged 4,940.26. The economic impact, based on potential healthcare cost savings, was $1,209,901 – quite impressive!
How do you participate? The answer is simple – visit www.walkacrosstexas.tamu.edu and register by filling out the on-line form. If you would like to serve as a team captain, simply round up seven of your friends, family members, or co-workers. Your team members will report their miles to you each week and you record them on the WAT website. By yourself walkers will record their own miles. If you want to participate as a group, but no one wants to be the team captain, no problem! Just let me know and I’ll take care of keeping up with everybody’s miles! The WAT website even has a link for classroom teachers, including lessons that go along with TEKS requirements.
How do you estimate miles? Many people have Fit Bits or other devices or phone apps that can help you keep track of steps or miles. If you don’t have that option, here are two formulas to determine miles: 2,000 steps equal one mile, or 20 minutes of moderate continuous physical activity equal one mile. The website also has a calculator that will help you determine miles with different activities. Example: gardening, biking, swimming, dancing, playing basketball, etc.
Currently, a group of faculty members, parents, and students at Como-Pickton School are participating in Walk & Talk, which is a variation of Walk Across Texas. Each week for 8 weeks, I will provide a brief nutrition topic or cooking demonstration, followed by walking on site. The first week, 25 individuals turned in registration forms, and I am expecting even more this week. At the end of the 8 weeks, we will have a celebration where the top walkers will be recognized, and each participant will receive a certificate. If this sounds like something you would be interested in, let me know soon, and I will schedule it on my calendar. However, I do need a commitment from at least 10 people.
So grab your walking shoes, and family, friends, or co-workers to see if you are up to the challenge of walking across Texas!
Twogether in Texas Marriage Education
I hope you saw the article on the front page of Wednesday’s Sulphur Springs News Telegram! The Twogether in Texas Marriage Education workshop is a win-win situation for couples, because not only is the workshop free (lunch included!), but engaged couples also receive a certificate to save $60 upon applying for a marriage license. Of course, married couples are also welcome!
Topics covered are marriage expectations, communication, conflict resolution, money management, and goal & dreams. The workshop is offered 3 times each year, so pick the date that works best for you! The dates are Saturday, February 10, May 12, and August 25. Sessions are held at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office, 1200 W. Houston, Sulphur Springs, from 8:30 a.m. to approximately 3:30 p.m. Interested couples are asked to call to reserve a seat so adequate preparations can be made – 903-885-3443.
Closing Thought
Be careful with your words – they can only be forgiven, not forgotten – Toby Mac
Johanna Hicks
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
Family & Consumer Sciences
1200-B W. Houston
P.O.Box 518
Sulphur springs, TX 75483
903-885-3443 – phone
903-439-4909 – Fax
[email protected]
Ballot by Mail Requests Creating Difficulty for Some Voters
Registered voters over the age of 65 are receiving mailings that allow the voter to request a ballot by mail as the March Primary election season begins. However, County Clerk Debbie Shirley has a warning for those who respond requesting ballots. She asks those requesting ballot by mail to request only the ballot specific to the party primary in which the voter wishes to cast the ballot. Some voters are returning both party mailings and therein lays the problem.
According to Shirley, both the Republican and Democrat parties are automatically sending out the mailings to all voters. The voter may return one request for the party primary in which they wish to vote. Either Democrat or Republican may be chosen. If one requests both ballots, that creates a problem for the voter as well as the County Clerk’s office.
The last request received from a voter is the ballot they will receive, according to Shirley. If the voter mails in both requests, by law the second request made will invalidate the first request. By law, a voter may cast a ballot in only one primary.
For those voters who protest the ballot received, the County Clerk’s office faces additional work. The County Clerk’s office follows the Texas Secretary of State directives in assigning ballot by mail to the voter’s request. When a voter appears at the County Clerk’s office counter to change the ballot, that change initiates additional work for her office personnel.
Nevada Woman Arrested for Possession of Controlled Substance
Following a traffic stop for driving in the left lane on I-30 at the 133 mile-marker, Andrea Lynn Chapman, 39, of Nevada, Texas, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1.
She had open containers in her floor board of her auto and was extremely nervous. She denied consent to search but following a K-9 alert on the vehicle, a probable cause search was initiated. The Substance was located in the auto.
Chapman is in Hopkins County Jail.
Traffic Stop on I-30 Nets 28 Pounds of Marijuana
Hopkins County Deputies Washington and Poindexter discovered 28 lbs of Marijuana with a street value of $250,000 during a traffic stop Thursday.
On January 26th, 2018 at approximately 3:30 a.m., a vehicle bearing Arizona License Plate was traveling East on Interstate Highway 30 in the left lane. The vehicle was stopped for Disregarding Official Device for traveling in the left lane without passing another vehicle. A sign at each I-30 entrance into Hopkins County instructs drivers to proceed in the right lane and use the left lane for passing only.
A traffic stop was conducted by a Hopkins County Deputy on the vehicle at I-30 eastbound at the 124 mile-marker. During the initial contact with the driver and passenger, both showed multiple signs of nervousness. The driver began breathing heavy; his hands began to shake as he retrieved his identification.
The driver and passenger were interviewed and had conflicting stories on their travel plans. It was also noticed that there was minimal luggage within the vehicle. The driver denied consent to search the vehicle for illegal narcotics and firearms. Hopkins County Deputy and her K-9 partner performed a free-air sniff of the vehicle. The K9 positively alerted on the vehicle.
A probable cause search of the vehicle was conducted. Located in the rear of the vehicle was a large vacuum sealed bag was approximately 28 pounds of marijuana. The marijuana holds a street value of approximately $250,000.
Both subjects in the vehicle, Dedra Solomon, 22, of Winterhaven, California and Cody Pope, 30, were arrested and charged with Possession of Marijuana >5lbs<50lbs.
Dates to Remember for March Primary Elections
With the Republican and Democrat Primary Elections approaching some dates become very important for the voter. The two primary elections will determine their party nominees for various county, state, and national offices. Although few Democrat candidates, and none locally, have opposition, the Republican primary ballot will include challengers in several races.
For Republicans in local and state contested races:
For County Clerk: Mike Dodd, Tracy Orr Smith
For County Commissioner Precinct 2: Edward (Ed) Moore, Greg Anglin, John Wilburn
For County Commissioner Precinct 4: Joe Price, John David Jetton, Kevin Cole
For County Treasurer: Andrea Griggs, Danny Davis, incumbent Jim Thompson
For County Court-at-Law Judge: clay Harrison, Steve Lilley
For State Representative District 2: Dan Flynn, Bryan Slaton
For State Senate District 2: Bob Hall, Cindy Burkett
Dates to Remember:
Monday, Feb. 5, 2018, is the last day to register to vote for March primary.
Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018, early voting begins for March 6 primary election
Friday, March 2, 2018 is the last day of early voting for March 6 primary election
Tuesday, March 6, 2018 is the primary election.
Ohio Pair Arrested for Drugs, Money Laundering
When the driver of a 2009 Dodge Journey, with an obscured license plate, ignored an official traffic control device on I-30 Westbound at the 131 mile-marker, a Hopkins County Deputy made a traffic stop and in plain view on the passenger floorboard was a syringe containing a brown liquid suspected to be Heroin. The male passenger, Elias Moreno (picture not available), informed the officer that there was cocaine, heroin, and Fentayl in the vehicle.
A probable cause search of the vehicle revealed multiple plastic bags of the three controlled substances. Also located in the vehicle was a green duffle bag concealed in the spare tire compartment. In the duffle bag were four large bundles wrapped in silver foil tape and vacuum sealed The four bundles contained cash totaling approximately $180,247.
K-9 O’Malley, along with Hopkins County Deputy handler performed a free air sniff on the currency. The K-9 provided a positive alert for illegal narcotics present on the currency.
Arrested were the driver, Jerrica Danielle Papenfuse, 29, of Toledo, Ohio, and Moreno.
Moreno, 45, of Toledo, Ohio, was charged with Money Laundering more than $150,000 but less than $300,000, Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 more than 4-grams but less than 200-grams, and Possession of a Controlled Substance more than 1-gram but less than 4-grams.
Jerrica Danielle Papenfuse
Papenfuse is charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 more than 4-grams but less than 200-grams, and Possession of a Controlled Substance more than 1-gram but less than 4-grams.
Local Man Arrested for Illegal Sale of Cocaine
Following a Special Crimes Unit investigation into the illegal sales of cocaine over 4-grams but less than 200-grams, a felony warrant was issued and served on Andrew Imanuel Wooten, 26, of Sulphur Springs.
Wooten is in Hopkins County Jail charged with Manufacture Delivery of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1, more than 4-grams but less than 200-grams a Felony 1.
Andrew Imanuel Wooten
Lamar County Resident Seeks Area Assistance in Finding Stolen items
On or about December 24 or 25th, a Yamaha 660 Grizzly four-wheeler and a Lincoln SA 200 welder on a trailer were stolen from a farm in Lamar County, 3 miles outside Paris, according to the owner of the welder.
The owners of the properties are offering a $1000 reward leading to recovery and conviction of the individual or individuals who stole the items. If you have information regarding these items or the individual or individuals who took the items, contact your local law enforcement.
