Chamber Names High School Leadership Class; Seeks Sponsors
The 2017-2018 High School Leadership Class, sponsored by the Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce, allows each student chosen for the program to begin a journey of practical knowledge with insight into local life beyond the classroom. This is the 24th year for the program locally. Students in the program are chosen from all county schools.
The Chamber of Commerce has facilitated this program for our county’s outstanding high school seniors. The program is free to the students who are chosen to participate. The students will participate in several classes throughout the school year including, the Ropes Challenge Course in Commerce, “Justice, Order & Politics”, “Poverty, Crisis and Cultural Sensitivity”, “Education & Tomorrow’s Opportunities”, “Ethical Decision Making”, and “Tourism and Quality of Life”. The year-long program ends with students taking a field trip to the Dallas/Fort Worth area for a day of learning, fun, food, and fellowship, according to Lezley Brown, Chamber Executive.
This program has proven to be beneficial to the students motivating the Sulphur Springs School Board to consider the High School Leadership Class “co-curricular”. Students will not be counted absent on days they are participating in the program.
Those who have been selected for the High School Leadership Class of 2017-2018 include:
Jonathan Alvarez Kendall Blake Gracie Boyer
Spencer Brewer Zackery Burgin Shaden Burton
Ryder Caddell Chase Charlton Natalie Cruz
Peyton Dietze Vanessa Diosdado Natalee Foster
Katelynn Fryer Gisselle Gonzalez Jamia Hall
Anden Hammack Sarah Harper Montana Hatley
Delores Hughes Ryan Humphries Kaylee Jefferson
Makenna Kager Maggie McGlamery Jacie Reed
Taylor Robinson Chloe Ross Anna Sapaugh
Imani Taylor Samantha Vargas Peyton Vickery
Currently the Chamber is seeking sponsors for each student. The $125 sponsorship allows each child to complete the program at no cost to them. Sponsor names will be printed on the backs of the students’ t-shirts. They wear these t-shirts to every event they attend in various locations around our community and beyond. A business or organization may sponsor more than one student.
To sponsor a student, contact the Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce, 300 Connally Street, Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. If you have any questions, please call the Chamber office at 903-885-6515.
Winter Grazing Program Set for August 24th in Overton
by Russell Adams, Texas A & M Agriculture
OVERTON – Beef cattle producers hoping to cut costs and maximize winter grazing should attend an Aug. 24 program in Overton focused on reducing winter feeding with stockpiled forages and winter pasture, coordinators said.
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service program will be presented by Dr. Jason Banta, AgriLife Extension beef cattle specialist, and Dr. Vanessa Corriher-Olson, forage specialist, both in Overton. The event is 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, 1710 N. Farm-to-Market Road 3053.
Cost is $60 per person if registered by Aug. 13 and $75 per person by Aug. 22. It includes lunch and program materials.
A money back guarantee is being offered. Register online at https://agriliferegister.tamu.
“Now is a good time to plan for winter grazing,” Corriher-Olson said. “We’re focusing on how to manage winter forages to match forage quality with nutritional needs and the economic benefits of our recommendations.”
Topics will include:
– Stockpiled forage: management and utilization.
– Determining acres of stockpiled forage and winter pasture needed.
– Cool-season forages and variety selection.
-Monthly and seasonal forage production potential.
-Appropriate mineral supplementation.
-Estimated costs.
Two Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units, one integrated pest management and one general, will be available for licensed pesticide applicators.
For more information, call Michelle Sensing at 903-834-6191.
KSST is Giving Away More Texas Rangers Tickets!
KSST is giving away tickets to the July 29th, 2017 Texas Rangers Game. Winners will be announced during Afternoon Drive 4-6PM on Wednesday July 26th, 2017.
The Tickets:
- 1 pair, and 2 groups of 4 for the Saturday July 29th game, 7:05 first pitch.
Rules:
- The tickets must be picked up from the KSST Studios before 5pm Friday July 28th, 2017. If can’t pick them up before Friday, a Saturday morning pickup can be arranged. 903 885 3111
- Ticket dates/games are first come, first served.
- The tickets must NOT be resold!
- Unclaimed tickets will be dispersed by KSST.
- Employees of KSST can not win.
- Winner’s names will be announced on the radio.
- Winner’s names will be posted on Facebook.
- Winners will be notified via Facebook, and announced on the air.
How to enter: Like KSST on Facebook, AND like this Post on Facebook.
Casillas Sentenced to 20 Years TDCJ For Child Pornography
Tuesday morning in Eighth Judicial District Court, Carlos Omar Casillas, 22, was sentenced to 20 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for Child Pornography.
Casillas had been arrested for money laundering but during an inventory of a cell phone belonging to Casillas, Sheriff’s investigators found child pornography. Casillas was charged with multiple counts of Possession of Child Pornography and has been in Hopkins County jail since March 30th of this year.
Casillas was living with a woman in Mexico and has an infant daughter. He and his father had been doing business between Nogales, Sonora, Mexico and the United Stated. During testimony Tuesday, Casillas stated that he had a large sum of money with him because he has sold a vehicle that he brought from Mexico to an individual in New York City and that he was returning to Mexico with the money when arrested locally. Casillas stated that he wanted to return to his family in Mexico. His father is ill and unable to continue the family business, according to statements made.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Investigator Corley Weatherford testified that Casillas had several instances of child porn found on his camera.
Senior’s Center Building Fund Slowly Increasing Through Gifts, Calendar
According to Karon Weatherman, an account set aside to hold donations for a new Senior Citizens Building is slowly growing but still does not contain enough to begin the work. Plans for a new 8,000 square foot building have been drawn up which would allow space for a large meeting/dining area with attached storage space for tables and chairs, separate rooms for library, work outs, quilting and arts and crafts, as well as office space and restrooms. Plans also include a large kitchen, food storage area and pantry with attached mechanical room and bay for loading Meal-a Day meals. The 5,000 square footage of the current, outgrown building includes a garage/storage area.
The City of Sulphur Springs, which owns the Sr’s building, has made inquiries about the availability of funding through grants. Location for the building is yet to be determined. A committee is looking for donated land within the Sulphur Springs City Limits. Not to be deterred, Karon began a fundraising campaign of her own which includes donations from individuals and corporations, and from sales of a Celebrity Movie Calendar for 2018/2019. Calendar photography and layout skills were donated as well as talent, with local citizens as costumed actors posing on “movie-theme” sets. The twenty-four completed photos make up a large 24-month calendar which will sell for $20 each. Karon placed an initial order of calendars which should arrive during August 2017. She hopes to sell out promptly then place another order. These will make great Christmas gifts for anyone who has ever lived in Sulphur Springs or Hopkins County. Contact the Sr’s Center at 903-885-1661 to reserve your calendar.
So far, donations amount to almost $9,000. As of July 25, 2017 the fund held $8,911. Some donors are senior citizens who give a small set amount each month. Other larger donors are responsible for one-time gifts. Anyone may donate any amount, and donors are needed. Contact Director of the Seniors Center, Karon Weatherman, in person Monday through Friday, by mail at 150 MLK Drive in Sulphur Springs or by phone the Sr’s Center at 903-885-1661.
DPS to Begin Charging Local Law Enforcement Agencies for Lab Tests
Texas Department of Public Safety announced Friday that beginning September 1, 2017, they will begin charging all law enforcement entities that utilize their testing labs. According to Hopkins County Judge Robert Newsom and Sheriff Lewis Tatum this sudden bit of budgeting news creates some issues for a budget that is near completion for the county and, specifically, the Sheriff’s Department. This also creates issues for the City of Sulphur Springs and the Police Department.
According to City Finance Director Peter Karsten, the city is gathering information regarding the amount that will need to be appropriated for the new fees. The county is also seeking funding avenues and bolstering the Sheriff’s budget to assist in providing for the fees.
Judge Newsom and Sheriff Tatum stated that the fees could cost the county department as much as $1,000 per week.
According to the General Appropriate Action passed by the 85th Texas Legislature DPS will need to collect up to $11.5 million in fees for forensic analysis services in order to realize the full budge authorization for DPS crime labs. DPS will begin charging law enforcement agencies for using certain crime laboratory services and has released a fee schedule for particular services. Included in fee charges are: $75 for alcohol analysis, $75 per controlled substance analysis, $150 for a toxicology test, $150 per quantitation sample analyzed, and $550 for DNA Analysis.
The budget for DPS labs is near $75-million per year. The Legislature provided the DPS lab system approximately $63 million for FY 2018-2019, and requires up to an additional $11.5 million to be charged and collected (as stated above), which would make up the balance of the total authorized budget of the $74.5 million for crime laboratory services. Last biennium, the DPS crime lab was appropriated approximately $74.7 million.
Winnsboro Police Department Report July 17-23, 2017
Winnsboro Police arrested Patrick Dial, III, 21, of Sulphur Spring for Driving While License Invalid (Enhanced) on July 19, 2017. During the July 17-23, 2017 report period, they investigated a non injury accident in the 300 block of E. Coke. As a vehicle left the parking lot of Alexander Meat Market, the driver failed to yield right of way striking a second vehicle on the left rear quarter panel.
Also during the period, WPD responded to 153 calls for service, issued 52 citations and wrote 50 warnings.
Wildcats Marching Band Color Guard Begins Camp
Last week, the Wildcats Marching Band percussion group began a two-week percussion only camp to give them the extra time they need to be prepared when the entire band reports on July 31. This week, the band’s color guard is also having a special camp. Band Director Charles McCauley said the color guard will be working on fundamentals.
McCauley said he could hardly believe his eyes when a work crew began putting down artificial turf at Gerald Prim Stadium, where the band will be marching this fall. He said he drives by the facility every day checking the renovated stadium’s progress. McCauley said he hopes to be able to host band contests at the new Prim.
Also new this year, the Wildcats Band will be relocated from their end zone site to the south end of the home stands at the Prim. The opposing team’s band will also be relocated to the south end of the visitor’s side so the bands will face each other. This year’s Wildcats Marching Band show is called Five. It will include tunes from Mahler’s Fifth Symphony, Prokofiev’s Fifth Symphony, Beethoven’s Fifth, Tchaikovsky’s Fifth, Dave Brubeck’s Take Five and the Jackson Five’s Dancing Machine.
2016 Color Guard KSST Photo
