Game Day: Lady Cats’ Volleyball, Team Tennis
The Lady Cats’ volleyball team and the Wildcats’ team tennis squad have matches on this Tuesday game day. The Lady Cats will be renewing an old rivalry with Paris. The action will be in Paris. There will be a Freshman match at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday with JV and Varsity matches to follow. The Varsity match should begin at around 6:30 p.m. The Lady Cats’ varsity has a four game win streak. They defeated Caddo Mills at home Friday and then won all three matches they played in a Tyler tournament Saturday. The Lady Cats have faced Paris once already this season picking up a win in a Wills Point tournament in mid-August. The Lady Cats have a 14-9 season record going into the match Tuesday night.
Meanwhile the Wildcats’ team tennis squad will be playing at Princeton Tuesday starting at around 3:30 p.m. The Wildcats have one win and four losses so far this season. This non-district match will be the Wildcats final tuneup before district play gets underway next Tuesday (September 5) against Hallsville at the Wildcat Tennis Complex.
Toliver Ford Receiving Donations for Dallas Help for Harvey Shelters
Brian Toliver Ford Lincoln in cooperation with Dallas’ Help for Harvey will be taking donations for those displaced by flooding and the damage created by Hurricane Harvey that is once again a tropical storm. The items will be taken by the Toliver Family to Dallas this weekend for distribution in shelters there.
Among items needed are:
- new underwear and new socks,
- warm ups for men women and children,
- pillows, pillow cases, and blankets,
- flip-flops for showers,
- towels and wash cloths,
- toiletries and hygiene products,
- baby formula, wipes, bottles, diapers,
- Graco Pack n’ Plays for babies to sleep in
Items donated may be dropped off at the receiving station next to the front desk at Brian Toliver Ford Lincoln, 1040 Gilmer Street in Sulphur Springs.
Council Conducts Final Public Hearing on Tax Revenue Rate; Property Values Noted
There were two that addressed the Sulphur Springs City Council during the public hearing last week on tax revenue increase for 2017 but Tuesday, August 29th, no one was present to address the council in the second and final public hearing on the tax revenue rate.
In comments to the council, City Finance Director Peter Karsten noted that the Texas Legislature requires cities, counties, schools, and other taxing entities to conduct two public hearings each year when tax revenues increase either by tax increase or property value increase. He noted that the state is not required to conduct such hearings when tax revenue increases for the state due to more received from sales that affect sales tax revenues.
Mayor John Sellers questioned Chief Appraiser Cathy Singleton with the Hopkins County Tax Appraisal District regarding the total property values in the state. As reported by KSST News recently:
For the City of Sulphur Springs the total market value is $1,152,212,307. Exempt property totals $148,524,481 and value lost to agricultural usage is $19,934,180. Disabled veterans exemptions total $852,370 and exemption for over 65 is $12,824,320. Lost to tax abatement is $48,368,177. Other losses and exemptions leave a net taxable value for 2017 of $915,445,602 compared to a net of $892,859,072 for 2016. New construction in the city of Sulphur Springs during 2017 valued at $3,581,200 is included in the net taxable value.
The council will conduct two meetings in September to approve the 2017 tax rate and budget.
Johanna Hicks Earns State and National Award as Texas Agri-Life Agent
Johanna Hicks is in her twentieth year serving Hopkins County as an Extension Agent. She actually worked here in the mid 1980’s, sharing the Home Economics office with agent Janie Crump. At that time, there were five agents in Hopkins County…two for Home Economics, two Agriculture agents and one 4H Agent. After about five years, Johanna’s husband Jay Hicks was transferred to Stephenville and so they moved there where she taught at Tarleton State University and was Director of a Children’s program at First Baptist Church. In time, her husband was transferred back to Sulphur Springs, and once again, an agent’s position opened up. She was hired at about the time that Janie Crump retired. During the ensuing fifteen years, the numbers of agents serving counties has been reduced and today Johanna is Family and Consumer Sciences Agent sharing the office with Mario Villarino, Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent. Both agents work in the 4H program.
One of the five awards Johanna brought home from a recent State conference at Round Rock, Texas was the Mary W. Wells Diversity (National) Award, a recognition of excellent work by an individual agent. She also earned State and National awards for the office. Along with her husband Jay, a loan officer for DFA Financial Services, Johanna has raised their three children in Hopkins County, putting down roots and making it her home.
City Fire Department Water Rescue Team Deployed to Harris County
According to City Manager Marc Maxwell, the City of Sulphur Springs will deploy four (4) fire fighters and the water rescue boat to the staging area in Humble, Texas, where they will report to the Harris County Fire Marshall. The fire fighters leave Tuesday for the deployment that will be for five (5) to six (6) days.
The water rescue unit will be coordinated through the Ark-Tex Council of Governments with cost for the deployment being reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Maxwell stated that while the four full time professional fire fighters are away, the city will call in a part time crew to continue a fully staffed local fire department.
Line Dancing Lessons at Seniors Center Begin September 5!
Karon Weatherman, Director of the Sulphur Springs Seniors Center, encourages you to take advantage of this fun and healthy way to get exercise! Men and women are welcome to take the class. Sharon Jones is a great teacher, and she will travel to Sulphur Springs for a class of at least a half dozen regular students. If you’ve been thinking about joining a class, this one may be perfect for you. Contact Karon at 903-885-1661 or come to the class held at 150 MLK Drive in Sulphur Springs.
Weekend Sports Update: Football; Volleyball; Cross Country
Owens on Football
After Friday night’s Wildcats scrimmage loss to Liberty-Eylau, Wildcats Fotoball Coach Greg Owens said it look like the Wildcats first scrimmage. He said things were sloppy, especially right at first. He said the Leopard’s speed exposed lots of Wildcats’ weaknesses. On Saturday, Wildcats’ coaches used the video to work on correcting things with players. Coach Owens said he liked where the Wildcats are right now and he said he saw some good things during the Friday scrimmage. He said the Wildcats defense was extremely aggressive. Coach Owens said L-E made a lot of plays because they have lots of play makers. He said the Wildcats have to step up and make plays as well. Coach Owens said the scrimmage overall was good. He said everyone got to play. Coach Owens said it was all about reps and getting better. He said L-E is right up there with talented teams the Wildcats will play this year such as Texas High and Marshall. The Leopards have 35 seniors and Coach Owens noted that’s a lot for a Class 4A team. He said the Wildcats need to work on being consistent. He added all Friday night’s errors are fixable.
Maness on Lady Cats Volleyball
The Lady Cats’ volleyball team is on a four game winning streak. After losing three tough matches in pool play Thursday in a Tyler tournament, the Lady Cats returned to the home court Friday and topped Caddo Mills, 3-1. Back in Tyler in tournament play Saturday, the Lady Cats swept all three matches they played to win their bracket. They defeated Eustace, Tyler Grace Community and Nacogdoches. The Lady Cats did not loss a single set. The Lady Cats are now 14-9 for the season. Lady Cats Volleyball Coach Justin Maness said he thought the Lady Cats pool in Tyler contained the four best team’s in the tournament. Coach Maness said he believes the Lady Cats are starting to find a little consistency. He said even in losses, he sees the Lady Cats getting better. Coach Maness said he really liked his team’s back row defense Saturday in Tyler. He said the team is becoming very defensive minded. Coach Maness said they will need to be against a tougher schedule this year. This week the Lady Cats travel to Paris Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. and then will host Liberty-Eylau Friday.
Hicks on Cross Country
The Wildcats and Lady Cats’ cross country teams both sent two teams to participate in the Greenhill Relays at Norbuck Park in Dallas Saturday. Cross Country Coach Ross Hicks said the 6-mile, 4-person relay race was a fun way to open the cross country season. The Wildcats’ top boys team finished 15th and Coach Hicks said they were fourth best among 5A schools. The Wildcats’ second team was 26th. The Lady Cats’ top team finished 25th. Their second team was in the mid-30’s according to Coach Hicks. He said the girls’ second team included some younger runners who had to step in and participate when some other girls could not compete. Coach Hicks said he was impressed with Wildcats Peyton Vickery, Landon Thornton, Ed Ramirez and Eli Sellers and Lady Cats Syndey Washburn, Landry McKinney and Hannah Dixon. Next the Wildcats and Lady Cats will run at the Rise and Shine cross country meet in Wylie Saturday. Coach Hicks said the more traditional 5K cross country race gets underway at 7:30 a.m. At least 26 teams will be there and they are all either 5A or 6A schools.
North Hopkins ISD To Conduct Tax “Swap” Ratification Election
According to Superintendent Darin Jolly, in an effort to maximize state funding, North Hopkins Independent School District is seeking to pass a Tax “Swap” Ratification Election. The purpose of the election is to allow the district to move $0.13 from the Interest and Sinking (I&S) (debt payment) tax rate to the Maintenance and Operations (M&O) tax rate. This move causes the $0.13 to generate more money from the state for the district, without raising the total tax rate. The public is invited to attend an Informational Meeting on September 5th at 7pm in the North Hopkins Cafeteria.
The proposed change generates the same projected local tax revenue – $981,648, because the pennies are just “swapped” between M&O and I&S, but the move increases the projected state revenue by $251,635 for the 2017-2018 school year. The tax “swap” election will not change the total tax rate:
Current Tax Rates: M&O $1.04; I&S $0.215; Total Tax Rate $1.255
Proposed Tax Rates: M&O $1.17; I&S $0.085; Total Tax Rate $1.255
Early voting by personal appearance shall take place beginning on September 19, 2017 and ending October 2, 2017 at the following hours and location: Between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. each weekday and from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 pm. on October 2, 2017 at the North Hopkins ISD Secondary Office, located at 1994 FM 71 W, Sulphur Springs, TX 75482.
Voting on Election Day, October 6, 2017, will be conducted from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the North Hopkins ISD Administration Building Board Room, located at 1994 FM 71 W, Sulphur Springs, TX 75482.
The public is invited to attend an Informational Meeting on September 5th at 7pm in the NH Cafeteria.
For more information, contact Superintendent, Darin Jolly or Business Manager, Jan Vaughn at 903-945-2192 EXT 8029 or online at www.NorthHopkins.net
