Hopkins County Has Been Repaid for Seized Cattle Expenses
Hopkins County will be reimbursed for all county expenses for the care and management of hundreds of head of malnourished cattle seized by the SPCA of Texas and the Hopkins County Sheriff’s office. Hopkins County Attorney Dusty Rabe said the check received by the county Monday for the auction cattle was for $257,667.45 which will cover the county expense of $254,721. SPCA will receive the remainder and will be owed an additional $12,000 which will be recovered from George Lawrence Bergin of Sulphur Springs, who had owned the near 600 head of cattle seized.
The cattle were seized December 4-6, 2017 as law enforcement removed the cattle from six different properties encompassing an estimated 2700 acres of barren pasture land, according to the SPCA. The cattle were taken to an undisclosed place where they were fed and received veterinarian care until they were sold last Wednesday. Bergin was charged with a State Jail Felony, Cruelty to Livestock-Fail to Provide.
Saltillo Homecoming Set for Friday. January 26, 2018
Saltillo High School has announced their 2018 Homecoming Court. Coronation of the Homecoming Queen is Friday night during halftime of the Varsity boys basketball game. SHS plans a Pep Rally for 9:30 a.m. Friday morning. A reception honoring the Class of 1998 will be conducted in the school library following all of the games. Homecoming Bash School dance will be after the games until Midnight in the cafeteria for grades 6th – 12th.
Front Row L to R: Freshman Duchess – Paisley Kastner, Sophomore – Graycie Hodges & Junior Duchess – Lorena Castro; Senior Queen Nominees L to R: Christie Gurley, Shelby Matlock, Madison Simmons, Lupita Olayo, Tori Mobley, Jordan Sustaire, Sylvia Feijen, & Adriana Ortega.
SSHS UIL Academic Team Placed Second at North Lamar Invitational
Congratulations the SSHS Wildcat UIL Academic Team who finished 2nd place overall this past Friday and Saturday, January 18 – 19, at the North Lamar Winter UIL Invitational meet. The following students and teams brought home awards in their events.
| Ready Writing | Annemarie Gunn | 1st Place |
| (Gail Herman – Coach) | Brianna Wooten | 3rd Place |
| LD Debate | Corban Philo | 1st Place |
| (Kayla Weir – Coach) | ||
| Number Sense | Andrew Westlund | 1st Place (10th Grade) |
| (Gerald Grafton – Coach) | 4th Place Overall | |
| Braden Fisher | 2nd Place (11th Grade) | |
| 5th Place Overall | ||
| Gillian Thomas | 5th Place (12th Grade) | |
| Blake Talmage | 4th Place (11th Grade) | |
| Number Sense Team
Andrew Westlund Bradyn Fisher Gillian Thomas |
2nd Place Team | |
| Social Studies | Brandon Hodges | 1st Place |
| (Madison Millsap – Coach) | Leif Thomas | 5th Place |
| Social Studies Team
Brandon Hodges Leif Thomas Felipe Alba |
1st Place Team | |
| Calculator | Carissa Carter | 3rd Place (11th Grade) |
| (Gerald Grafton – Coach) | 5th Place Overall | |
| Isaac Gutierrez | 3rd Place (10th Grade) | |
| Calculator Team
Carissa Carter Isaac Gutierrez Peyton Baugh |
2nd Place Team | |
| Spelling | Chase Charlton | 3rd Place |
| (Gail Herman – Coach) | Natalie Cruz | 5th Place |
| Spelling Team
Chase Charlton Natalie Cruz Gisselle Garcia Miriam Tran |
2nd Place Team | |
| Mathematics | Andrew Westlund | 3rd Place – 10th Grade |
| (Gerald Grafton – Coach) | Peyton Baugh | 4th Place – 11th Grade |
| Brayden Fisher | 5th Place – 11th Grade | |
| Mathematics Team
Peyton Baugh Brayden Fisher Andrew Westlund |
2nd Place Team | |
| Accounting | Gillian Thomas | 2nd Place |
| (Paula Hass – Coach) | ||
| Science | Matthew Harper | 1st Place (9th Grade) |
| (Kaitlyn Black, Steven Allemang, and Amanda Clark – Coaches) | Jasmin Vargas | 5th Place (9th Grade) |
| Literary Criticism | Carissa Carter | 1st Place |
| (Gail Herman – Coach) | Natalie Cruz | 3rd Place |
| Lainey Whittle | 4th Place | |
| Literary Criticism Team
Carissa Carter Natalie Cruz Lainey Whittle |
1st Place Team | |
| Current Events | Brandon Hodges | 2nd Place |
| (Madison Millsap – Coach) | ||
| Prose Interpretation | Rachel Bramlett | 1st Place |
| (Lesha Woodard – Coach) | ||
| Computer Science | Brayden Fisher | 1st Place |
| (Matt Wilder – Coach) | Kevin Orozco | 2nd Place |
| Josh Rissman | 3rd Place | |
| Nathan Tiegiser | 4th Place | |
| Blake Talmage | 5th Place | |
| Andrew Westlund | 6th Place | |
| Computer Science Team
Brayden Fisher Kevin Orozco Josh Rissman |
1st Place Computer Science Team | |
| Copy Editing
(Brandon Nelson – Coach) |
Angela Brown | 6th Place |
| Editorial Writing | Angela Brown | 2nd Place |
| (Brandon Nelson – Coach) | Natalie Cruz | 3rd Place |
| Headline Writing | Natalie Cruz | 1st Place |
| (Brandon Nelson – Coach) |
Weather Service Investigating Possible Tornado Touchdown Sunday Night Near Winnsboro
The National Weather Service is investigating a possible tornado touchdown near Winnsboro and the Hopkins County line. Hopkins County and the surrounding area were under a tornado watch from 3:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon and 11 p.m. Sunday night. Around 8 p.m., southeastern Hopkins and Wood County were placed under a Tornado Warning.
Rain and lightning were the primary factors of thunderstorms that moved across the area during the watch. Ricky Ridge received three eighths inch of rain; a resident on Church Street registered one inch; the Sandfield Community experienced high win and one and one quarter inches of rain; Pickton had one and six tenths inches of rain and “a touch of light hail”.
Two Places on the Hopkins County Hospital District Board On May 5th Ballot; Filing Underway
In May, local voters will elect two to the Hopkins County Hospital District, two to the Sulphur Springs School Board, and three to the Sulphur Springs City Council. Ron Folwell, Executive Director of the Hopkins County Hospital District, said two seats will be on the May 5th ballot for the Hospital District Board. Seats currently held by David Black, DVM, and Dr. Suzanne Bankston, PHD, will be on the ballot.
Filing for a place on the ballot is open until February 16th. No one has filed for a place during the first week of filing.
Free Legal Assistance Offered To All Veterans
Thank a School Board Member
(Sulphur Springs)—January is School Board Recognition Month and Sulphur Springs ISD is joining other districts across the state to thank these community volunteers for their commitment and contributions to our public schools.
“School board members serve countless hours working to make public education the best it can be for every child,” said Michael Lamb, Superintendent. In a climate of change and challenge, they develop policies and make tough decisions on complex educational and social issues that affect the entire community and the lives of individual students. They bear responsibility and oversight in Sulphur Springs ISD for an annual budget of $36million; 4,347 students, in grades Head Start 3 yrs to 12th grade; more than 650 employees; and 9 campuses.
“Preparing today’s students to be productive citizens and the leaders of tomorrow is a tremendous task. As elected officials, school board members are the voice of their communities, serving first and foremost in the best interest of our schoolchildren,” said Lamb.
“We proudly salute these education advocates as they provide vision and leadership for student achievement, academic programs, district funding, and school facilities. Their service ensures that decisions about local public schools are made by those most familiar with the needs of our community’s children and families,” said Lamb. “These dedicated individuals deserve recognition and thanks for their unfailing commitment to the continuing success of our students now and in the future,” he said.
The men and women serving Sulphur Springs ISD as board members are: President Leesa Toliver, Vice President Robbin Vaughn, Secretary Robert Cody, Jason Dietze, Clay Johnson, John Prickette, and Kerry Wright. They come from a varied background of business, education, ministry, and public service.
“Great leadership always begins with a willing heart, a positive attitude, and a desire to make a difference. Please join us as we applaud these local leaders for helping our kids soar to success,” Lamb said.
Sulphur Springs School Board Meets in Special Session Monday
Sulphur Springs School Board will meet in a special session 6 p.m. Monday in the Administration Building Board Room on Connally Street. Various items are on the agenda:
CALL TO ORDER:
Invocation
Pledges to American & Texas Flags – Travis Primary Students
- FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS
- Announcement by the President whether a quorum is present, that the meeting had been duly called and that the notice of the meeting had been posted in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code, Chapter 551.
PUBLIC FORUM:
Public participation is limited to the designated open forum portion of a meeting per policy BED(LOCAL).
- Presentation of plaque of appreciation to former board member.
- Recognize school board members for “School Board Appreciation Month”
REPORTS:
- ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS/INFORMATION ITEMS
- Dual Language Enrichment (DLE) program highlight – Travis Primary
- Head Start items given to the Board under separate cover for information only:
– Director’s Report for December
– December Newsletter
– Policy Council minutes for October
CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS:
These items are considered to be routine by the board and will be enacted under one motion, unless a member of the board requests that an item be removed from the consent agenda and considered in its normal sequence on the agenda.
- Consider approval of 2016-2017 Head Start Annual Report. (Exhibit IV-A) 6
- Consider approval of 2017-2018 Head Start Community Assessment Update.
ACTION ITEMS
- Discuss and consider approval of Resolution 1-18 electing a representative to serve on the Hopkins County Appraisal District Board of Directors for the term beginning January 1, 2018 and ending on December 31, 2019.
- Discuss and consider approval of Texas Education Agency application for staff
development minutes waiver. [Michael Lamb]
EXECUTIVE SESSION:
Executive Session will be held for the purpose of consideration of matters for which closed or executive sessions are authorized by Title 5, Chapter 551, Texas Government Code, Sections (.072), (.074).
- Discuss and consider personnel to be employed, personnel to be reassigned, acknowledge and accept resignations of personnel, other personnel matters.
- Discuss purchase, exchange, lease, or value of real property.
- Discuss and consider Superintendent’s evaluation.
- Discuss and consider Superintendent’s contract extension and compensation.
RECONVENE FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR ACTION RELATIVE TO ITEMS COVERED DURING EXECUTIVE SESSION.
- ADJOURNMENT
Valor and Professional Response to Crisis Situation in Sulphur Springs Remembered at the Death of Texas Ranger Danny Rhea
[Editor’s note: As News Director at the time of the action of Texas Ranger Danny Rhea and having know him on a professional level, Rhea was a man of honor who epitomized the legend of the Texas Rangers.
Danny Rhea, retired Texas Ranger, died January 20, 2018 in San Angelo, Texas after a lengthy illness. Ranger Rhea was assigned to the Sulphur Springs area where his valorous and professional response in a crisis situation earned him the Texas Ranger Medal of Valor in June 1998.
His commendation tells the story: “Awarded in recognition of his valorous and professional response exhibited during a crisis situation where he faced a deranged individual holding what was believed to be an explosive device in a Texas Department of Public Safety building.
On January 6, 1998, Ranger Sergeant Danny V. Rhea assisted Trooper Cody Sanders and Trooper George K. Harris in dealing with a man who was carrying what was identified as a bomb at the Sulphur Springs Texas Department of Public Safety office. The man told Trooper Harris to evacuate the building because he was going to blow himself up. The building was evacuated and the officers negotiated with the man for almost an hour believing he was holding an explosive device and intended to detonate the device. The man eventually displayed a handgun and pointed it at Trooper Harris. Ranger Sergeant Rhea then fired one shot, fatally wounding the man.
Ranger Sergeant Rhea’s courage, decisive action, and dedication to duty in this tense and volatile situation bring great credit to him, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the profession of law enforcement.”
Rhea served as a Ranger from 1988 to 2003. He had joined the Department of Public Safety in 1976.
Dinner Bell Menu For January 24, 2018
Dinner Bell Menu for
January 24, 2018
Honoring Grocery Supply Company
this week’s Community Partner.
Chicken Spaghetti
Roasted Winter Vegetables and Lettuce Salad
Garlic French Bread
A Lemon Cake to Die For
Pears with Cinnamon Cream (Sugar Free Dessert)
Same time (11:45 a.m.). Same place (Fellowship Hall of the First United Methodist Church).
