Wildcats’ Team Tennis Opened Practice Monday
The Wildcats’ team tennis squad began practice for this season Monday morning bright and early. The first order of business was using squeegees to get some puddles of water off the courts from overnight and early morning rainfall. At 7:15 a.m., practice was underway.
Wildcats Team Tennis Coach Tony Martinez said new players this year were introduced. Coach Martinez said then he told players his expectations for the team this year. He said his theme this year is commitment. He said in the past he’s stressed words like effort and attitude.
Coach Martinez said he would have Zoe Wilson and Heather Harris returning on the girls side. They are the ones with varsity experience. They will be joined by two freshmen and a pair of senior girls who have just learned the game. Coach Martinez said they have proved to be quick studies.
On the boys’ side, Alex Benitez returns as the team’s one senior. Coach Martinez expects to pair him with sophomore Jonah Kirkpatrick for boys doubles. Chase Crouch also returns and Coach Martinez said he showed lots of improvement this summer. Returner Blaine Flemens is out four to five weeks with an injury but Coach Martinez said Flemens is expected to return in time for some key matches later. Coach Martinez is also excited about three freshmen on the boys’ side: Aaron Lucas, Logan Shoemocker and Jordan Gonzales.
After a week of practice, the Wildcats play five non-district matches next week. They travel to Tyler next Tuesday (August 15) to play John Tyler and Jacksonville. Tyler Lee will play the Wildcats at the Wildcat Tennis Complex on August 16. The Wildcats will play Forney and Terrell at Terrell on August 17. The Wildcats open district play at home against Hallsville the day after Labor Day on September 5.
Lady Cats Volleyball Open Regular Season Play Tuesday at Home
Lady Cats Volleyball Coach Justin Maness said his team was looking pretty good early. The Lady Cats scrimmaged four opponents Saturday at Wills Point and Coach Maness said his team looked a lot better Saturday than they did Friday at a home scrimmage against Cumby and Commerce. He said Saturday the Lady Cats competed and did well against all four teams they played.
The Lady Cats had their entire 12 player roster at Monday morning practice. Included were Mieke VanBenthem and her sister Erica VanBenthem, who were not available to play in Friday scrimmages. The Lady Cats open the regular season at home Tuesday. They play North Lamar at 1 p.m. and then Sherman at 5 p.m. In between, North Lamar and Sherman will play. Coach Maness said both Tuesday opponents are good teams and he added the Lady Cats would have to come ready to play. He said North Lamar is always tough and has been for years. The Pantherettes took a five-set win in Wildcats Gym last year. Coach Maness said Sherman has several players who are club players that know what they are doing.
He said his team would have to show up, play consistently, put plays together, not give up points on errors such as bad serves or getting into the net and just play sharp. Coach Maness said the Lady Cats know they are capable of having another successful year. Last year they won 30 games, setting a new school record for victories.
Six Members of the Como-Pickton FFA Chapter Receive the Lone Star FFA Degree
Corpus Christi, Texas – Robert Flewelling III, Tristen Sickles (Not pictured), Tyler Osborne, Heston Wilburn, Brynden Andrews, and Denton Lawson(not pictured) of the Como-Pickton FFA Chapter, were awarded the Lone Star FFA Degree at the 89th annual Texas FFA Convention in Corpus Christi, Texas. The Lone Star FFA Degree is the highest degree bestowed by the Texas FFA.
Heston Wilburn
The Lone Star FFA Degree recognizes FFA members who have received the Chapter degree, been active FFA members for at least two years, completed at least four semesters of agricultural science at or above the ninth grade level, maintained a supervised agricultural experience (SAE) program, demonstrated their leadership skills, and have shown a commitment to the FFA through involvement at the chapter level and above. These Como-Pickton FFA members were among the more than 2,400 FFA members to receive this esteemed degree.
Tyler Osborne
The 89th annual Texas FFA Convention recorded approximately 12,000 members and guests. Members of the state’s largest agricultural youth leadership organization spent the week attending leadership workshops, participating in events and activities, being recognized for their achievements, and serving as the legislative body for the Texas FFA Association.
Robert Flewelling III
The Texas FFA is the nation’s largest state FFA association with a membership of more than 119,000. FFA gives students the opportunity to apply practical classroom knowledge to real world experiences through local, state and national competitions. For more information about the Texas FFA, visit www.mytexasffa.org.
Brynden Andrews
Brynden Andrews of the Como-Pickton FFA Chapter Serves as Foundation Ambassador
Corpus Christi, Texas – Brynden Andrews, of the Como-Pickton FFA Chapter served as a Texas FFA Foundation Ambassador at the 89th annual Texas FFA State Convention held July 10-14 in Corpus Christi.
Andrews was one of 58 FFA members selected to serve as a Foundation Ambassador. The Foundation Ambassador program serves as the official liaison to sponsors, special guests and dignitaries on behalf of the Texas FFA during the annual Texas FFA Convention.
Ambassadors went through a competitive application process, and once selected, they received an extensive two-day training specifically focused on donor relations, personal skills development and professional networking. Foundation Ambassadors studied the history of the Texas FFA Association, Texas FFA Foundation and the records of sponsors’ commitments to agricultural education and the Texas FFA.
Many Ambassadors were matched up with representatives from the Texas FFA Foundation’s corporate sponsors and individual donors, while others assisted in the logistics of the annual VIP Breakfast or helped organize sponsors’ availability for stage appearances during convention general sessions.
During the annual convention, more than $2 million in scholarships were awarded and more than 2,500 students were recognized on stage for their accomplishments at the state level.
The 89th annual Texas FFA Convention recorded approximately 12,000 members and guests. Members of the state’s largest agricultural youth leadership organization spent the week attending leadership workshops, participating in events and activities, being recognized for their achievements, and serving as the legislative body for the Texas FFA Association.
The Texas FFA is the nation’s largest state FFA association with a membership of more than 119,000. FFA gives students the opportunity to apply practical classroom knowledge to real world experiences through local, state and national competitions. For more information about the Texas FFA, visit www.mytexasffa.org.
TxDOT to Replace North Sulphur River Relief Bridge
PARIS – Texas Department of Transportation officials today announced that work will begin Aug. 30 on a project to replace the North Sulphur River Relief Bridge along State Highway 19/24 in Delta County.
The contractor, L&N Bridge LLC, Antlers, Okla., was granted 180 working days to complete this project valued at more than $1.6 million. Officials said the contractor plans to place work signs on Aug. 28 and begin construction Aug. 30. The target completion date for this work is May 2018, weather permitting.
The contractor will replace the existing north-bound bridge at this location, after removing the existing bridge. After a new bridge is in place, the contractor will also reconstruct the roadway approaches to the new bridge. TxDOT officials said the contractor will place an on-site detour to carry north-bound traffic while this project is underway.
The new bridge will be 38 feet wide with two, 12-foot travel lanes; a four-foot inside shoulder; and a 10-foot outside shoulder. This will match the width of the existing roadway approach, officials said.
Access to adjacent property will be maintained while this project is underway. TxDOT officials encouraged motorists to obey all traffic controls on site, including flaggers directing traffic, and reduce their speed while approaching and traveling through this work zone. They should also drive according to road conditions and avoid distractions such as cell phones, eating, drinking, or car audio and navigation systems.
TxDot logo
“On the River” with Eddie’s Back to School Float
August 5, 2017 was a beautiful clear Saturday on the Red River. I had been invited on a “Back to School” float with the Eddie Trapp family, but declined the float portion, preferring to wait at the rendezvous point under the Highway 271 State Line bridge north of Paris, Texas. You might already know Eddie, author of the article “On the River With E.T” published in the Cooper Review, and of a dozen compilation volumes from his adventure journals he has kept since his high-school days from 1963.
Eddie Trapp with nephew Ryan Trapp and daughters
On Saturday I met Eddie’s brother Larry, and with his son Ryan and daughters, the family made up the merry crew of two vessels; one boat and a kyack. The launching point was a boat ramp about five miles west of the state line bridge, at the Sanders Creek crossing near Arthur City. From there the two families began their eastward journey at an easy, floating pace. Larry’s granddaughters Rainie and Audrey liked the beach settings the best, so along the way there were stops to let the kids out to play in the rich red sand and frolic in the water. Ryan took the opportunity to let the girls maneuver the kyack. At another boat ramp along the way, the party talked with three game wardens who were loading up the jet-propelled boat which they use in their outlook for persons violating safety rules or state laws on the waterway. Back on the river, the float continued to it’s destination, the famed state line crossing where a meal of grilled pork chops would be prepared on the wide red beach below the bluff on the Texas side.
Larry Trapp with Ryan, Rainie and Audrey on one of the red sand beaches along the Red River
You may have noticed the old iron bridge, or railroad trestle whenever you have traveled into Oklahoma. There’s easy access to the river’s edge along a narrow road running parallel to the highway on the east side. Even through I missed the famed “river float” that day, I enjoyed my time at the river, beholding the slow majesty of it’s movement but also guessing at the power it possesses swollen from rain. I am pleased there are still people like Eddie Trapp who pursue the outdoor life and invite us “landlovers” for a peek from time to time.
The Results are In!
The results are in. The least favorite intersection in Sulphur Springs is…
[poll id=”62″]
Various suggestions for this dubious honor include:
- The offset between Main and College St
- Drivers not certain if turn signals are needed when driving through the ‘jog’ in Main and College St.
- Traveling north on Gilmer, and the College St blind spot.
- Narrow Main St being hard for some vehicles to traverse.
- Significant pedestrian traffic.
- The draw of various downtown attractions.
- The volume of traffic from 154 and Texas Highway 313/Business 67.
Thanks for voting and Happy Motoring!
SSISD Board Approves Insurance Bid; Personnel Changes
Sulphur Springs School Board approved a bid from Texas Political Subdvision for District Property/Casualty Insurance for 2017-2018 during a special session of the board Friday, August 4, 2017.
In other business, the board approved the following personnel changes:
Resignations
Bridget Albert SpEd Aide ECLC
Xenia Franco SpEd Aide Lamar
Natalie White ELAR Teacher Douglas
Leigh Ann Adamson English Teacher High School
New Personnel
Kayla Miller SpEd Aide ECLC
Ariel Morris SpEd Aide SS Elementary
Dennis Powers Technology Aide SS Elementary
Esmeralda Sanchez Bilingual Aide SS Elementary
Dustin Barrett English Teacher Middle School
Eddi Flores PE Teacher/Boy’s Coach Middle School
Dana Harp Grade 6 Science Teacher Middle School
Fernando Arellano Spanish Teacher/Asst. Boys High School Soccer Coach
Personnel Change New Position/Campus Former Position/Campus
Jeremy Scroggins Asst. Principal/Middle School PE Teacher & Boy’s Coach/Middle School
Elizabeth Moss English Teacher/High School English Teacher/Middle School
Griggs Seeks County Treasurer Post
I attended school at Sulphur Bluff ISD, later entering the military where I was a diesel mechanic in the Army National Guard. While in the military, I attended the police academy and received a Peace Officer license and later a Paramedic certification. I served in the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Department as a Reserve Deputy and worked at Hopkins County EMS as a paramedic for several years. For many years I worked at Aero Space Aluminum Products helping to manage all aspects of the office & production including accounting, purchasing, scheduling, sales, payroll, human resources, compliance and quality control. I have also worked at Priefert Manufacturing in Mount Pleasant in their accounting department, managing accounts payable, receivables, 401K retirement plans and payroll for multiple entities there. Currently I am employed at Alliance Bank as a Mortgage Loan Processor.
I am excited to serve the citizens of Hopkins County once elected to the Treasurer’s Office. I will be a working Treasurer, performing all the duties that normally fall in the full scope of the Treasurer’s responsibilities. I also hope to assist in the duties of other County offices that may need help with their numerous responsibilities. I am very thankful to call Hopkins County my home. I look forward to assisting in the growth of our county and to help us to operate more efficiently. I am a team player and I want to continue to serve our community using my experience, attention to detail, organization, integrity, strong work ethic and honesty. I am eager to meet all of you and to fulfill the role as a hard working Treasurer for our community!
Hopkins County Area Under Flash Flood Watch 7 p.m. August 6 to 7 p.m. August 7, 2017
FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY EVENING… The National Weather Service in Fort Worth has issued a * Flash Flood Watch for portions of North and East Texas. This includes the following counties in North Texas…Bosque, Collin, Cooke, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Fannin, Grayson, Hill, Hood, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, Montague, Navarro, Parker, Rockwall, Somervell, Tarrant, and Wise. In Northeast Texas…Delta, Henderson, Hopkins, Lamar, Rains, and Van Zandt counties. Timing….From 7 PM CDT this evening through Monday evening. Locations of heaviest rain…Heavy rainfall is expected this evening and into the overnight hours. Additional rainfall on Monday may aggravate and promote additional flash flooding. The heaviest rainfall is expected for areas east of a Bowie to Meridian line and for areas north of a Meridian to Corsicana to Athens line. Rainfall amounts….Rain amounts across North and Central TX will range between 2 to 3 inches with isolated 4 to near 6 inches of rainfall possible, especially across Northeast TX. |
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