Updated Manager, Finance Director Video Interview: County, City Say Firefighter Rumor False
“It is hard to dispel a rumor about something that has not happened,” according to Craig Johnson, Sulphur Springs City Council Place 1. His comment was made in response to questions asked by KSST News regarding social media posts claiming a number of firefighters would lose their job as a result of an agreement between the City of Sulphur Springs and Hopkins County Commissioners. However, no agreement has been made and the city and county have only begun discussions regarding how the two entities can work together to, as Clay Walker, City Council Place 2, says, “Produce efficiencies that would benefit both entities.”
Johnson pointed out that 18 months ago, the city and county made a deal to allow the justices of the peace to serve the city as municipal judges. Johnson said this has worked well for both entities. He called the justices, B. J. Teer and Brad Cummings, very qualified and responsible to both the county voters and the public in their capacities. Johnson said the city working with the county has been a priority for him and he anticipates more in the future.
Walker noted that the county has a tax levy of 62-cents per $100 valuation and the city has a 44-cent tax levy. He said he is looking for ways for the city and county to work together in building and maintaining infrastructure as well as public services. He sees this as a work in progress.
During the October city council meeting, both Johnson and Walker asked City Manager Marc Maxwell to begin discussions with County Judge Robert Newsom regarding ways in which the county and city can work together. The next day, Maxwell and Newsom met for a few minutes to explore avenues of future dialog.
Judge Robert Newson
County Judge Newsom told KSST News Friday morning (November 3rd) that he and the city manager did meet. However, he noted that it was and is the only meeting they have held. Newsom said there are those saying that they met last week but he was in Israel last week until Friday and that day was spent with attorneys and commissioners in preparation for litigation against the opioid industry and two doctors no longer in practice. Newsom said he is eager for Commissioners Court and the City Council to meet together. However, he stated it will be a long process to develop any future work that can be shared. Both Maxwell and Newsom stated Friday that “absolutely nothing” has been decided.
On social media, some are saying that firemen will lose jobs. One has said as many as 14 or more would lose jobs based on the rumor that the city and county would combine their fire departments. According to Maxwell recently one fireman resigned but another has been hired in his place. Maxwell stated that the city fire department has increased in number of employees and that would not change. Some on social media have also said that changes to the fire department would be on the agenda for the November City Council meeting. Maxwell noted that the only fire department related agenda item would be the appointment of Police Chief Jay Sanders as the department head for the newly created Department of Public Safety. The position will be administrator for budgets, etc. of the fire and police departments. Regarding the fire department, Johnson said he has a great respect for firefighters due to fact they are “good planners and industrious.” He said, “Our city and county need more employees like that. Having good firefighters is like having a good insurance policy.
City Finance Director Peter Karstens stated that the city has started the process of updating its comprehensive plan, a review of all the things that make Sulphur Springs what it is. He stated, “If done correctly, by the end, the community will have a blueprint on how to progress and improve on all fronts.” He pointed out the need to use tax payers money to achieve goals and objectives in the most efficient manner possible.
For both city and county, streets and roads seem to be more on the front burner.
Game Day: A Must Win by 8 or More for Wildcats
Friday night (November 3) the Greenville Lions come to town for a 7:30 p.m. district game with playoff implications for both teams. It is also Senior Night at Gerald Prim Stadium.
The Lions are having one of their best seasons in years. They are 2-2 in district play and 5-3 overall this year. The Wildcats are 1-3 in district play and 3-5 for the season. To help solidify their playoff situation, the Lions need a victory Friday. To stay in contention for a playoff spot, the Wildcats need to not only win but they need to defeat Greenville by 8 points or more.
Greenville’s second year head football coach is Darren Duke, a defensive coordinator for the Lions when they were good in the late nineties. Coach Duke is 0-1 versus the Wildcats as the Lions lost to the Wildcats 28-7 last year in Greenville. He calls this game the most important for Greenville in the past 13 years.
The Wildcats Coach is the Dean of Coaches in District 16-5A, Greg Owens, in his twelfth year. Coach Owens Sulphur Springs’ teams are 4-1 versus the Lions. Coach Owens is 80-58 with the Wildcats. We will have all the action for you live Friday night on KSST Radio. We will also videotape the game for replay at a later date on Channel 18 on Suddenlink Cable.
PJC-SS News
GIVING LIFE
Members of the Blend Club at PJC-Sulphur Springs Center sponsored a blood drive at the campus this week that resulted in collecting 14 units of blood for Carter Bloodcare. Among the PJstudents participating were (above from left) Pauline Rubarts, Whitney Olivares, Michaela Orr and Alissa Wagner.
Lowes Heroes Project Donation to Lil’ 4’s
Lowes has a company program in every store, called the Lowes Heroes Project. This program allows Lowes to help out underfunded community projects and non-profit organizations. Assistant Store Manager Michael Farrell, is in charge of the Sulphur Springs program. Lowes Heroes Project’s newest recipient was the Lil’ 4’s. Lowes donated an insulating roof, and walls. Earlier they also donated two wall unit Air conditioning systems to the Lil’ 4’s building at 200 Fuller street. The store has continuously volunteered their time as well to helping out The Lil’ 4’s and other organizations. For more on the Lowes Heroes Project click here. To learn more about the Lil 4’s find them on facebook or click here.
Here are some photos from the construction!
Winnsboro Woman Arrested for UUMV
Laura Jamie Light, 39, of Winnsboro was stopped for no license plate on the front of a Texas registered motor vehicle she was driving without permission. The DPS trooper found that not only was she driving the vehicle without permission but she was also wanted out of Wood County for Burglary of a Habitation and for Criminal Trespass.
Light was charged for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle (a state jail felony), for Burglary of a Habitation, a felony, and the criminal trespass. She is in Hopkins County jail held on bonds totaling $60,000.
Two Local Women Arrested for Drug Possession
The Special Crimes Unit conducted a traffic stop in the 100 block of Martin Luther King Blvd at 1:30 p.m. Thursday. Consent to search the vehicle revealed a clear bag containing a crystal substance believed to be methamphetamine under the center console cup holders. Officers also located a black set of digital scales in the vehicle.
Crystal Lee Hickman, 55, of Sulphur Springs was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1, less than 1-gram in a Drug Free Zone, a Felony 3. She is in Hopkins County jail held on a $25,000 bond. Also arrested on this charge was Tammy Lynn Wilson, 46, of Sulphur Springs. She, too, is held on a $25,000 bond.
Tammy Lynn Wilson
Quarter Auction Fundraiser Harvests Fun and Profits for Lights of Life Campaign
Meredith Caddell, CEO of the Hopkins County Healthcare Foundation, came up with an idea for an exciting and different kind of fundraiser for this year’s Lights of Life campaign. On November 3, 2017 in the Civic Center banquet hall, she put on a “quarter auction” where attendees could bid inexpensively on very desirable prizes from local merchants, earned when their paddle number was drawn from the hopper. It turned out to be exciting fun with over 110 bidders present and 15-20 vendors who donated two prizes each from their booths. Assisting Meredith on the auction block was her “Vanna”, Jessica Kultgen, and handling quarter sales was her office manager Betty Finn. Moving among the tables of bidders were students of the SSHS Medical Technologies Practicum classes, gathering up quarters during the evening’s fast-action fun. Proceeds amounted to over $4,100 and will be used for the final Lights of Life campaign events planned in December and January.
Jan Massey was among the happy winners
Jessica Kultgen as “Vanna”
SSHS Medical Technologies Practicum students gathered the quarters into a large glass container, displayed by Landon Caden
Freeze Damage & How to Spot It By Mario Villarino
Fall, winter, and spring bring the danger of frosts and freezes to Texas gardens, orchards, and landscapes. Although sporadic and unpredictable, these cold spells have left their mark on horticulture in Texas by wiping out peach crops, freezing pecans in their shucks, forcing the replanting of spring vegetables, killing valuable landscape plants, and necessitating the replacement of beloved avocado, citrus, and fig trees. Home gardeners and commercial growers can minimize these losses by understanding how cold affects plants and implementing diverse strategies to protect them. When the water inside plant cells freezes, ice crystals form that can pierce and damage the cell walls, killing the cells. As temperatures rise, fluids leak out of those cells and they begin to decay. In the coming weeks, I will be addressing weather related issues including cold spells as our winter season unfolds.
Freeze damage first appears as dark, water-soaked tissues that later turn brown or black and dry up many ornamental and edible plants have mechanisms to resist freeze damage. Trees and woody plants that go dormant, such as pecan and peach, can tolerate very low winter temperatures. However, they can be injured if they are too slow to stop growth in the fall or begin growing too quickly in the spring. Many species of woody evergreens, such as hollies, can tolerate tremendous cold. Subtropical plants such as citrus and palms have variable levels of cold hardiness; some can withstand mild to moderate subfreezing temperatures. Their survival depends on their age, condition, size, and genetic mechanisms for acclimation (gain in the ability to withstand freezing) and the depth and duration of the cold.
Some species of herbaceous (non-woody) plants are cold tolerant, enduring all but the most severe cold in Texas. Examples are perennials like lilies and irises and annuals like violas and sweet alyssum. However, many spring- and summer-growing annuals and perennials may be damaged at, near, or even above freezing (32°F). Likewise, most fruit and vegetable structures have little resistance to freezing temperatures, prompting a quick harvest when the forecast calls for frost. Because Texas weather is often erratic, these guides do not always predict plant performance in freezes exactly. They also cannot account for a particular farm or landscape being colder or warmer than its surroundings because of its topography, urban microclimate, nearness to bodies of water, etc. Plants can generally acclimate to freezing weather when they are exposed to consistent, gradually colder weather. Intermittent warm periods, not uncommon in Texas, can cause the plants to deacclimate, leaving them more vulnerable to damage in a frost or freeze. To help plants withstand frosts and freezes, do not fertilize with nitrogen or harshly prune them in late summer, which will stimulate growth and make them less winter hardy.
For more information in freeze and cold protection or any other agricultural topic please contact the Hopkins County Extension Office at 903-885-3443 or email at [email protected].
Mario Villarino DVM, Ph.D.
Hopkins County Extension Agent for Ag and NR
1200B Houston Street
Sulphur Springs, Texas 75482
903-885-3443
Walk and Talk Reaches Half-way Point By Johanna Hicks
Walk & Talk Reaches Half-way Point
Several years ago, an initiative was created to encourage individuals to get up and get active. “Walk Across Texas” is designed to inspire physical activity and comradery among teams of up to eight people with the ultimate goal of logging 833 miles (distance from Beaumont to El Paso) during an 8-week period. The on-line link allows participants to calculate miles according to the type of physical activity they achieve. They can also log their miles each week which is automatically totaled. In the past, we have had county employees, school teachers, classrooms, and churches participating.
For the past three years, “Walk and Talk” has been implemented at the Early Childhood Learning Center for interested parents and staff. This year’s event started in October, and we’ve just reached the half-way point. The difference between “Walk Across Texas” and “Walk & Talk” is that the latter is held face-to-face and has a nutrition element, with discussion focusing on healthy eating and increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables. Each week features a different topic and incentive items to reinforce the subject are distributed to those attending. Items have included shopping pads, collapsible measuring cups, veggie peelers, and pedometers. Following the brief nutrition segment, we walk together! Some parents even include their small children in strollers.
The ECLC group of 16 logged over 570 miles during the first three weeks of participation, so they are guaranteed to far surpass the 833 mile goal! We will conclude the series on December 6 with an awards celebration for the individuals who walked the most miles, progressed the most, and had the most team spirit.
Note: The picture was taken on week two of Walk & Talk, which also fell on Red Ribbon Week – thus the pajamas and hair curlers on one of the participants!
If your organization, business, or school is interested in learning more about Walk Across Texas or Walk & Talk, please visit the website: www.walkacrosstexas.tamu.edu. You may also contact our office and I’ll be glad to help!
More on Health
I recently had the opportunity to participate in my National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Conference in Omaha, Nebraska and brought home some great information. The topic for one of our speakers was “Essential Elements to Living Well”, and I took a few notes I’d like to share with you.
1) Normal Numbers Now – strive to have normal numbers, which include blood pressure, cholesterol, Hemoglobin A1c, and weight.
2) Critique Calorie Consumption – eat healthy foods and focus on increasing fruits and vegetables, lean protein, whole grains, and healthy fats, such as fish.
3) Make Movement Mandatory – everyone should strive for at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily. You should include aerobic and strength activities.
4) Address Addiction/ Halt Harmful Habits – this includes tobacco use, alcohol, drugs, anger issues, etc.
5) Meticulously Manage Money and Minutes – don’t be consumed with superficial appearance and entertainment.
6) Graciously Give your Gifts – give your time, talents, and conversation for the betterment of others.
7) Forgive and Fast Forward – anger destroys, but forgiveness heals in dealing with family, friends, and foes.
8) Passionately Pursue Purpose and Priorities – be able to say who you are in 25 words or less.
9) Stifle Stress/ Sever Suffering – stress is inevitable, but how we handle stress can make or break us. Focus on the positive.
10) Periodically Pause, Ponder, Pray, and Plan – reflect on life, meditate to calm your spirit, and ponder your blessings.
11) Seek and Secure Support – external factors have great influence on us, so seek friends and family who love and support you.
Closing Thought
I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to what light I might have – Abraham Lincoln
Johanna Hicks
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
Family & Consumer Sciences
1200-B W. Houston
P.O.Box 518
Sulphur springs, TX 75483
903-885-3443 – phone
903-439-4909 – Fax
[email protected]
Tira News November 3, 2017
by Jan Vaughn
Kim Beck won the Reserve Best in Show for Photography at the Hopkins County Fall Festival. The photo was a black & white of street lamps lighting up a rooftop. She won several other blue & red ribbons in different categories. Kim was also working the Hopkins County Stew contest for the Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce. She comments, “It was so cold! But we had a great turnout and it was hard work, but worth it!” She reports that Lee Beck was selling drinks at the Stew Contest representing the Masonic Lodge in Sulphur Springs as a fundraiser and they did pretty well with sales.
Joyce Dodd and her son, Michael, went to Hot Springs, Arkansas recently. They went to the beautiful Garvan Woodland Gardens, where they were decorating for Christmas. Joyce shared, “We shopped down town, went up on the east and west mountains a couple of times, visited a wine tasting bar, went to the wax museum, and Tiny Town. We ate at our favorite Mexican Restaurant, La Hacienda, for dinner.” She adds, “The next day we shopped down town again, rode around and went to some places where I used to go as a child. It was a fun two days and I enjoyed being with Michael.”
Chip Vaughn went to Reklaw on Friday evening for their annual fly-in. He camped there and enjoyed watching the planes and visiting with the pilots the next day. Morgan Joslin, our grandson, was in from Louisiana Tech, He flew to Reklaw with a friend, and then rode back with Chip and had dinner with us on Saturday night. His mother, Tiffany, joined us.
Chip and I enjoyed passing out candy to trick-or-treaters in their cute costumes on Halloween night. Tiffany and Jaidyn were at Posey Baptist Church for their carnival, and then stopped by our house on the way home.
I always need and appreciate input from my friends to help keep me informed of news in our community. If you have any news pertaining to Tira residents, past or present, please contact me, Jan Vaughn, at 903-945-2190 or 903-438-6688 or [email protected].
