Auction of Seized Cattle Underway Wednesday
According to Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office the hundreds of head of cattle seized by the SPCA of Texas and Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office December 4-6, 2017 are being sold at auction today, Wednesday, January 17th, according to the court order issued in a settlement reached in Justice of the Peace court and upheld in an appeal made by the owner of the cattle, George Lawrence Bergin, 61, to Hopkins County Court at Law. The cattle are being sold at a Lamar County Sale Barn.
Bergin faces a Felony Cruelty to Animal charge which will not be influenced by the decision of the court regarding the sale of the animals.
The proceeds from the sale will reimburse the State of Texas and Hopkins County for any expenses in the care and maintenance of the cattle. The remainder of the proceeds over expenses will be paid to Burgin. If the sale proceeds falls short, Bergin will be responsible for the additional charges in upkeep of the cattle until time of sale.
Johnson, Davidson File for Place 1 on Morning of First Day to File for City Council Race
Wednesday, January 17th was the first day to sign up for places on the May 5, 2018 ballot for City Council. Places 1, 2, and 3 are on the ballot this year.
On the morning of the first day, Incumbent Craig Johnson filed for Place 1 and his challenger, Justin Davidson, also filed.
Both Johnson and Davidson announced on social media their intentions to file well before the first day to file.
Craig S Johnson
Incumbent Johnson established a social media page and a twitter account last week. He stated in his first post, “It has been a privilege and honor to serve the citizens of Sulphur Springs as your City Councilman for Place 1. I am 4th generation Hopkins County, was raised here and have lived in other cities. Chaney and I chose to move back to this great city to raise our children. My goal is to work with the other members of the city council and staff to steadily make this a better place for everyone – including those who don’t yet live here but will. It is a long time until elections in the Spring of 2018. I will be posting things here periodically that are of public interest and will have more campaign related items if I draw an opponent.”
Enter Davidson who also announced his intent to seek the seat on social media. Davidson stated in the post that he, too, will have a social media site for his campaign prior to beginning his official campaign. The announcement was made on a personal site . He stated, “I am pleased and honored to announce my intent for candidacy to the City Council of my hometown. During my life experiences coupled with my countless hours of attending City Council meetings and listening to the people of Sulphur Springs, I have gained an understanding of the complexities of city government including its capabilities and limitations…I see helpful and positive roles for the City Council. We must listen to the people and do what’s best for the full community and not a select few.”
Local Restaurants Hosting Job Fair Wednesday Until 2 p.m. at City Hall
Today at Sulphur Springs City Hall, a job fair for downtown restaurants is underway until 2 p.m. According to managers of the various food venues, there is a tremendous need for cooks and also for those who can multi-task in a restaurant environment.
Managers of the various venues represented at the event said the need for employees who will be on time and who can work in a fast paced setting is a priority. Those who would serve alcohol to customers must be at least 18-years of age. There is not a need for those who would wash dishes, they have had a large number to apply for those positions.
At the event, an online certification is available for those who would handle food. The online certification has a small cost attached.
Como-Pickton CISD Cancels School Wednesday; No electrical Power
An electrical power outage at Como-Pickton schools has forced administrators to cancel classes and school activities Wednesday, January 17, 2018.
“We don’t know when power will turn on, so out of respect for families waiting on our decision, we will go ahead and cancel for the day,” according to Linda Rankin, Elementary School Principal. 
Real Estate: Number of First Time Home Buyers Increasing: Ideas for Buyer and Seller
Planning to purchase a new home in 2018? It may be one of the best seasons for new home buyers. The number of first time home buyers is increasing and many want to purchase before interest rates begin an expected increase.
Here are some suggestions for buying and selling your home.
For Buyers: Home buying season is starting earlier and earlier, and it’s important to get ahead of the competition. As 95% of home searches begin online, take advantage of tailored searches for schools and local amenities, and even factor in your commute from the comfort of home.
Get your financial house in order. Whether searching for a starter home or a new nest for your family, it’s important to be clear on your financial health. Take the time now to look at your budget, how much you can reasonably use for a down payment, and set parameters and goals for search – and stick to them. Get pre-approved! It’s a requirement for you to talk to a lot of real estate professionals and gives you a sense of what you can afford. Comparison shop for rates and loans: Not all lenders will have the same rates. There are a lot of loan options out there, so make sure you get all the information with the options for which you qualify.
The Federal Reserve just raised its benchmark rate from 1.25% to 1.5%, which means borrowing costs for mortgages could increase. Realtor.com is forecasting that 30-year fixed mortgage rates could push past the 4% mark in the coming weeks and could reach 5% by end of 2018.
Start Sooner rather than Later: Home buying season is starting earlier and earlier, and it’s important to get ahead of the competition. With kids still in school and the holiday season/snowy weather, makes for less competition with other buyers.
For Sellers: Your home value shouldn’t be a guessing game. With 31 of the 50 largest U.S. metros are back to pre-recession price levels, talk to a local real estate expert to get the most up-to-date information.
Make sure the Price is Right. Your home value shouldn’t be a guessing game. There some steps you can take to get a good ballpark idea of what your home will garner and how it compares to other for-sale homes in your area. Ultimately, a real estate professional is the best expert when it comes to determining your home’s value. check out local open houses to get an idea of what similar homes in your area are going for.
Take advantage of peak selling season – Spring/Summer – when you have the most buyers in the market. This is especially true for starter homes, where demand is expected to increase significantly. First time home buyer market is expanding up to 43%. Give it time – Do as many showings as possible before making a final decision. Want to get as many people through your door as possible.
Make a good first impression. Buying a home is emotional and you want to make sure your house pulls at the heartstrings the minute the potential buyer lays eyes on it. Take beautiful listing photos: With 95% of all buyers starting their search online, your listing photos are your first impression to potential buyers. Invest in a professional photographer or enlist a photography-savvy friend who can show off your home in the best light possible. Amp up the curb appeal: Now is the time to fix any broken window screens, missing shingles, and defunct doorbells; give your rooms an extra boost with a fresh coat of paint. These seemingly minor repairs won’t break the bank, but a little TLC will make a difference for potential buyers.
Updated: Ground Breaking For Dobyns Rods Adds to Employment Strength in Sulphur Springs
With a ground breaking in the near future for Dobyns Rods, at Pioneer Park next to Cell-O-Core, on the corner of CMH Road and Main Street, employment numbers in Hopkins County should continue to reflect a low unemployment rate. The ground breaking was set for 11 a.m. Thursday, January 18. However, according to the Sulphur Springs/Hopkins County Economic Development Corporation, the ground breaking has been postponed due to the cold temperatures. The groundbreaking will be rescheduled, according to the EDC, who notified KSST regarding the change Wednesday morning after the original story was posted.
Dobyns Rods are designed by Gary Dobyns with input from other elite anglers across the country. With over 100 fishing rods in 5 series ranging in price from $80 to $350, Dobyns Rods has the technique specific rods for any situation. With every model carefully tuned and optimized for performance, “…the fisherman can be assured that it is absolutely the right tool for the job: to help you fish to win!”
Using Portugal cork grips, Kevlar wrapping, Fuji graphite and other quality parts, the rods are used by many of the top anglers in the world of championship fishing.
Hopkins County Unemployment Rate Below State Average
Employment remains strong in Hopkins County according to the latest report from the Northeast Texas Workforce Development. In their Area Labor Market Information for November 2017, the unemployment rate for the county is 3.1 with a labor force of 17,211 and 16,671 of those employed. Texas unemployment rate is at 3.7.
Hopkins County leads all other counties in the Northeast Texas area except Delta County. Delta County also has the lowest employment numbers with a labor force of 2,524 and employment numbers of 2,451.
Hopkins County showed 540 unemployed seeking employment in the November numbers. Partnerships between local industry and Paris Junior College has aided in providing a well trained work force in the area according to EDC Executive Roger Feagley.
Lamar County is the only other county with an unemployment rate below 4. Morris County has the highest unemployment rate of 6.9 followed by Cass County with 5.1.
In the area outside Northeast Texas, Rains County has a 3.2 and Rockwall County a 3 with Hunt County at 3.4. Wood County has a 4.1 unemployment rate.
COMPUTER AIDED DRAFTING
Students Stephen Hudson, left, and Francisco Vazquez receive help from Instructor Brandon Eulberg in the basic computer aided drafting class at the PJC-Sulphur Springs Center campus. The new workforce training program was launched in the fall semester class lineup. To inquire about this program and other workforce training opportunities, call 903-885-1232.
Tuesday Power Outage Affects Yantis Schools, Businesses, Churches
A SWEPCO/Wood County Electric power outage in the Yantis area left approximately 12,000 customers without power. Yantis schools sent students home early due to the lack of electrical power.
The outage occurred around 8 a.m. Tuesday morning and Power was restored in the Yantis Lake Fork area around 2:30 p.m. according to a customer affected by the outage.
Businesses in the area were affected. A Christian music and encouragement streaming radio service lightradio.online, a ministry of White Oak Baptist Church, was off air during the outage.
Wednesday, January 17, 2018 Delayed Opening at Como-Pickton, Others
Delayed openings for Wednesday, January 17, 2018:
- Due to lack of power Como-Pickton is on a 2 hour delay. Buses will run two hours later than usual.
- Community Chest will open at 1 p.m.
