Video/Story: Teacher Retirement Healthcare Seminar Set for Monday
A Teacher Retirement Healthcare Seminar will focus on information regarding health care changes for teacher, school staff and auxiliary personnel for retirees under 65 years of age and those over 65. The seminar is set for Monday, October 23 at 1:30 p.m. at the Region 8 Education Service Center located between Mt Pleasant and Pittsburg on Highway 271.
Local retired teachers lobbied for a Northeast Texas seminar which will be much closer for retired teachers than the seminars scheduled in Tyler, Mesquite, Nacagdoches, and Lufkin. There is no reservation needed for this Northeast Texas Seminar. The seminar was made necessary by changes made to the teacher retirement plan during the recent Texas Legislature. All teacher retirement will now be under a Humana Advantage Plan. The Humana Plan for retired teachers will differ from the Medicare Humana Advantage Plan.
Retired North Hopkins School Superintendent Tommy Long, retired Librarian Marilyn Powers, and Sherri Moore, wife of a retired teacher and administrative staff member at CHRISTS Mother Frances Hospital Sulphur Springs spoke with KSST News regarding the seminar and the new health plan for retired teacher.
New Pain Management Physician Added to CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital
CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs welcomed new provider Matthew Johnson, M.D., to serve the patients of their growing community practice at the beginning of August.
“We are excited to add Dr. Johnson to our already outstanding team at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs,” said Kelly Weisinger, Administrative Director of CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Neuroscience Institute. “He brings a wealth of enthusiasm and skill to the clinic. He will be an invaluable asset to CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System and an important resource in offering the highest levels of care to our patients here.”
Matthew Johnson, MD
Dr. Johnson joins CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs after completing both his Anesthesiology residency and Pain Management fellowship at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. He completed his undergraduate degree at Duke University, double majoring in Biochemical and Electrical Engineering, before earning his medical degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Dr. Johnson is board-certified in Anesthesiology and holds a sub-specialty certification in Pain Medicine. Dr. Johnson is a member of the North American Neuromodulation Society, the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians and the Spine Intervention Society.
“I’m thrilled to be joining CHRISTUS Mother Frances Health System through CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs,” said Dr. Johnson. “The physicians, nurses, APPs, and staff are top-notch, and I cannot wait to learn more about the people of this community and get to work.”
Lady Cat Karlee Adams Signs Letter of Intent to Play College Softball
Lady Cats and travel team softball player Karlee Adams signed a letter of intent Wednesday to play college softball at Central Christian College in McPherson, Kansas. Karlee is the daughter of Kenneth and Dana Adams. The signing was attended by Karlee’s parents and family members, by some of her Lady Cats’ teammates, by Lady Cats Coach David Carrillo and assistant Bailey Bohlken and by Central Christian Head Softball Coach Aaron Annis and his assistant Danny Becker.
Karlee said she learned about the college through a web site that puts players and colleges together. Coach Annis said he liked an Adams video on line and Karlee said she also played in a scrimmage game on the campus. Adams, a lefthander, is an outfielder who plays mostly right field but she says she will play anywhere in the outfield. Karlee says she is excited about the scholarship and appreciative of all the support she has received. She says her parents know she is going far from home but she adds she is going to a good place and will be fine.
Karlee says McPherson is a small town with a good environment, just like Sulphur Springs. Karlee says she will study education to become a teacher. Central Christian Coach Annis says Karlee is a great outfielder who will be a good addition to the Tigers’ team because of her bat power and her speed in the outfield. He says Karlee has a good chance to play right away because he has a young team.
Karlee started playing softball at a very young age and her first coach was her father, Kenneth Adams. He says Karlee has worked hard all her life on softball and he is excited for her college opportunity. He says McPherson is an exceptional place. He says they have a growing program that Karlee will be a part of. He says she is in good hands there.
Wildcats Marching Band Qualified for Area Competition
The Wildcats Marching Band qualified for Area competition at the UIL Region IV Marching Contest in Mt. Pleasant Tuesday. Wildcats Band Director Charles McCauley said it was a big, big deal. The UIL contest is the first leg of the annual quest for sweepstakes by the band. Every other year, bands can advance to area and state and this is that year, McCauley said the band had a really good day.
He called their performance on Tuesday the band’s best of the year. He said for the first time this year everything clicked. McCauley said some performances have been plagued by technical problems. He praised student soloists during the band’s show: Laura Cavaness, Carissa Carter, Adam Ost, Nathan Braddy, Zach Phillips and Celeste Leeds-Laliberte. McCauley said he got so excited at the end of the performance Tuesday that he almost jumped out of his scooter. He said the band members knew they had an exceptional performance.
The band got an overall one rating or first division score from two judges and a surprising two from another judge. McCauley said he was pleased with what the band got. He did say the band did have some stuff to clean up before the area competition. The band will attend a contest this Saturday in Prairiland. The Wildcats Marching Band has been named grand champion at this contest the past two years. The band will perform at 3 p.m. Saturday. The UIL Area C Marching Contest will take place Saturday, October 28 in Mesquite.
Fall Festival Chili Contest and 42 Contest Are Coming Soon for Seniors!
If you love to eat Chili and play 42, you just might be a Texan! Karon Weatherman knows these are perennial favorites of local Senior Citizens, so she blended them into this year’s exciting Fall Festival activities.
Plan to enjoy all-you-can-eat Chili on Tuesday October 24 at 12 noon at the Sr’s Center. It’s free! Sixteen crock-pot cooks will be serving their chili until it’s all gone while judges taste each entry. Winners will be announced and trophies and prizes awarded.
Then at 1pm on Saturday October 28, plan to play 42 at the annual Earl W. Martin 452 Tournament, also at the Seniors Center. Tables will be provided for 30 teams, with dominoes also provided. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three teams. Before the deadline of October 27, cost to enter the contest is $10 person. On the day of the contest, cost will be $25 per team. Spectators are welcome as space permits.
The Seniors Center is located in Sulphur Springs at 105 MLK Drive, and is open daily with activities for persons age 50 and older. Phone Director Karon Weatherman at 903-885-1661.
Cumby Police Arrest Wisconsin Man for Possession of “Molly”
Cumby Police made a traffic stop on I-30 east bound around 2 a.m. Wednesday morning. The officer detected the odor of marijuana inside the vehicle and asked the driver to step from the 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe. A Terry frisk revealed “Molly”.
The officer detected a bulge in the front waist band of Jamar Clifford Johnson, 36 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The officer removed the object and found it was not a weapon. Johnson identified the object as “Molly”, a street name for MDMA or Ecstasy.
Johnson is in Hopkins County Jail charged with Possession of Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1, more than 1-gram but less than 200-g and is being held on a $20,000 bond.
Lady Cats Outlast Pine Tree With 3-2 Win; Remain Tied for First Place in District
For the second straight match, the Lady Cats’ volleyball team won a crucial set 5 to take a 3-2 win. Tuesday night as they outlasted Pine Tree on the road, 11-25, 25-20, 26-28, 25-19 and 15-13. Last Friday they won at home over Texas High, 3-2.
Lady Cats Volleyball Coach Justin Maness called Tuesday night’s contest a great match. The Lady Cats assured they will at least stay tied for first place after Tuesday’s game. They are now 9-2 in district play and 26-12 for the season. Pine Tree slips to 7-4 in district play and 21-14 for the season. After a bye Friday, the Lady Cats wrap up district play against Mt. Pleasant at home on senior night.
Tuesday night in Pine Tree, Kaylee Jefferson had a team high 17 kills. Autumn Tanton added 12. Mieke VanBenthem had 8, Erika VanBenthem 6 and Madi Vickery had 2 kills. Setter Anden Hammack had 41 assists. Sadie Stroud had a team leading 4 aces. Libero Maggie McGlamery had 3, Hammack had 2 and Tanton had 1 ace. McGlamery had a team high 19 digs. Hammack had 16. Imani Taylor had 11. Jefferson had 9. Stroud and Erika VanBenthem had 6 digs apiece. Mieke VanBenthem and Vickery had 2 block solos. Jefferson and Tanton had 1 each.
Game Day: Lady Cats Face Lady Pirates at Pine Tree
The Lady Cats’ volleyball team’s exciting victory over Texas High last Friday is a hard one to put aside, but there is just no time to rest on your laurels in tough District 16-5A. The Lady Cats have a very difficult assignment coming up on this Tuesday game day (October 17). The Lady Cats play at Pine Tree Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. There will be a freshman game at 4:30 p.m. and a JV contest at 5:30 p.m.
The Lady Cats are tied for first with Texas High as both teams have two losses. Pine Tree is just one game back with a 7-3 record. The Lady Cats topped the Lady Pirates back on September 29, 3-0 in Wildcats Gym. The first two sets were close but the Lady Cats won handily in set three. The Lady Cats are 8-2 in district play and they have won eight straight matches. Their season record is 25-12.
