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.
TxDOT Signage Leads to Hopkins County Veterans Memorial
Signs on I-30 at the 124 mile marker eastbound and westbound alert travelers to the exit that leads to Hopkins County Veterans Memorial at Celebration Plaza. The signs were put in place and are maintained by the Texas Department of Transportation. Local veterans were made aware of the signage by Robert “Derb” Goodman, a member of Hopkins County Marine Corps League 1357.
Lady Cats Pick Up Game Play to Seal Win: At Hallsville Friday
Lady Cats Basketball Coach Jeff Chapman said he was concerned in the first half of the home district opener against Greenville Tuesday night. He felt his team had a nonchalant attitude thinking they were playing a typical Greenville team. Coach Chapman said that can get you beat sometime.
Based on the tape he had seen, he said he thought the Lady Cats would do a better job of forcing turnovers than they actually did early. Coach Chapman said he was not comfortable with the Lady Cats 31-20 halftime lead. He said he talked to the Lady Cats at halftime about dominating play in the first five minutes of the third quarter.
Coach Chapman also said he talked with point guard Sadavia Porter. He said he told her she needed to play well all the time. He also asked her to pick up her game against Greenville Coach Chapman said the Lady Cats changed gears in the second half. Porter hit two three-pointers in the third quarter and she scored 12 points after a 5 point first half. Coach Chapman said he and Porter agreed after the game that she had indeed picked up her game in the second half. She ended up with a team high 25 points. Coach Chapman said more and more he is seeing Porter do things he’s never seen her do before.
The Lady Cats had to play without junior post Autumn Tanton who was out with an ankle injury. Coach Chapman hoped she would be able to play by Friday night. He liked the play he got from Tarayla Kelley, Danielle Godbolt and Jamia Hall against Greenville. Coach Chapman said they got valuable experience and they should gain confidence from the game.
The Lady Cats travel to Hallsville Friday night. Coach Chapman said they have a new coach this year so he expects their system may have changed somewhat. He said he would be looking at tapes of some of their earlier games this season to get ready for Friday.
basketball
Saltillo Lady Lions Lose to Class 4A Pleasant Grove
The Saltillo Lady Lions’ basketball team lost to Class 4A Pleasant Grove, 54-29 Tuesday (December 12). After trailing Pleasant Grove, 37-9 at the half, the Lady Lions outscored the Lady Hawks, 14-8 in the third period.
Tori Mobley led the Lady Lions with 9 points. Madison Simmons had 8 points. Ana Reeder scored 4 points. Chandler Bain and Maddie Smith had 3 points each. Jordan Sustaire added 2 points.
The Lady Lions are now 5-13 for the season. The Lady Lions play next at North Hopkins.
Mitchell Chapel Community Meal
The Mitchell Chapel COGIC Food Ministry is feeding the community this Thursday, December 14, 2017, from 11:00am until 1:00pm.
Menu:
Sliced Turkey W/Gravy
Mashed Potatoes
English Pea Salad
Dessert
Tea
So stop by Mitchell Chapel COGIC (402 South Jackson Street) and enjoy a free hot meal on us. Merry Christmas from our Church Family to yours!
Free Admission Day as a Thank You to Northeast Texas
By Sharline Freeman
(December 12, 2017, Commerce, Texas) The Northeast Texas Children’s Museum has announced a free admission day on Friday, December 22. Although the year 2017 has been challenging in many ways for the Children’s Museum, it has also been the museum’s most successful year to date. Donations, attendance, and support of programs and activities have been greater in 2017 than in any previous year. “Offering free admission is a way for the Children’s Museum to say thank you to those who have supported us throughout the year,” said Sharline Freeman, Executive Director.
Some of the new additions this year have been made by talented volunteers. A wind tunnel built by Jim Brown has been a popular addition. Dennis Anderson built and donated a Children’s Activity Board. Visitors will also see a revamped block area at the entrance and new additions to the dress-up area. “The donations of talented volunteers have made the Northeast Texas Children’s Museum unique with many one-of- a- kind play areas,” said Donna Tavener, Board President.
The outreach program has continued to expand as the MegaLung has traveled to every fourth and fifth grader in Fannin County through a grant from Texoma Health Foundation. Hunt County Healthcare Foundation provided a grant to visit schools in Hunt County. The Children’s Museum continues to attract 30,000 visitors a year to the museum.
December 22 will be a celebration for a very successful year. The Children’s Museum will be open during regular hours from 9:30 to 4:30. Call the Children’s Museum at 903-886-6055 with any additional questions.
The wind tunnel built by Jim Brown has been a popular addition to the Children’s Museum.
Winnboro Woman Arrested at Place of Employment in Sulphur Springs
Sulphur Springs Police assisted the Wood County Sheriff’s office in the arrest of Joy Elisabeth Hamrick, 33, of Winnsboro. She was wanted on a warrant for Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1, less than 1-gram in a Drug Free Zone.
Joy Elisabeth Hamrick
Sulphur Springs made contact with Hamrick Tuesday at 4:20 p.m. at Walmart, her place of employment in Sulphur Springs. Advised through communication that the warrant was active, the arrest was made.
Hamrick is in Hopkins County Jail being held on a $35,000 bond.
County Man Arrested for Injury to Elderly
Raul Gonzalez, 37, who lives on CR 1163 in Hopkins County, was arrested for the assault of his 73-year old father. The arrest by Hopkins County deputies took place Tuesday evening around 7 p.m. at the Gonzalez residence.
He is in Hopkins County Jail Charged with Injury to Elderly, a State Jail felony. He is being held on a $10,000 bond.
Local Author Sharon Feldt is a National Winner for her Sarah O’Shea Book
Retired kindergarten teacher Sharon Feldt moved to Hopkins County, Texas about five years ago. Her interest in writing fiction found a catalyst and a home when she joined the Silver Leos Writers Guild through Texas A and M University in Commerce, Texas. There, she met a friendly and nurturing community of writers who gladly share their experience and expertise with those new to the craft. Within that five years, Sharon has authored three books and has three more manuscripts waiting in the wings.
Her first, ‘The Stable”, is an illustrated children’s Christmas story narrated by the animals in the manger during the night of Jesus’ birth. Her next book was about a precocious little red-haired girl, Sarah O’Shea and her dog, Claude. Published in 2016, “The Scary Hair of Sarah O’Shea” drew the attention of a national book review contest based in Seattle, Washington. Earlier this year, Sharon was invited to enter her book for review, and after a few weeks was contacted that she was not only the first-place winner in the Children’s Fiction category but that her book was the Grand Prize Winner in all genres. “The Scary Hair of Sarah O’Shea” was featured on the cover of the 2017 Red City Review. Sharon has traveled to a number of large Texas cities, attending book signings and speaking at book club events. In the meantime, she produced her second book in the series, “Sarah O’Shea and the Wacky Faucet”.
Sharon admits that becoming a writer is a work in progress. Through the guidance of the Silver Leos Writer’s Guild, Sharon is learning the next steps for successful writers, which includes marketing their work. Now, in addition to proofreaders, she utilizes a professional editor and illustrator to continue the image she wishes the series to project as her character, Sarah, is further developed. Sharon’s books can be purchased at Barnes and Noble or Amazon, or directly from her at [email protected]
Sharon is married to attorney John Feldt and they live in Sulphur Springs. In addition to being 2017 President of Silver Leos Writers Guild Sharon is also President of her book club, the Bright Star Literary Society. She is also a member of the Northeast Texas Choral Society and the Bright Star Quilt Guild.
