Family VBS at Shannon Oaks Church is July 17-21
Josh Whitlock, Children’s Minister at Shannon Oaks Church
Children’s minister Josh Whitlock visited during the KSST Good Morning Show to announce an exciting family concept for Vacation Bible School coming to Shannon Oaks Church during July 17-21. Each evening, classes will be held between 5 and 8 pm for children ages 3 through 5th grade AND their parents! Members of the Senior Adult classes will also volunteer during the classes. Instead of dividing the family during Bible School, bringing families together for instruction is part of an effort by Shannon Oaks to unite the generations and to empower the parents to teach and develop their children’s spiritual lives. Games, crafts, team building, water games and small group times are planned. “Small group time” will involve pairing a key leader of the church with a family. During this portion, there will be at least one activity that is parent-led, providing another teaching skill for parents to use in their family time at home.
Pre-registered youngsters will receive a Splash Kingdom pass, T-shirt and dinner each evening at 5:45 pm.
Children’s Minister Josh Whitlock and Youth/Worship Minister Jonathan McGraw along with Pastor Eric Godwin invite the public to enjoy Vacation Bible School and regular services at Shannon Oaks Church, as well as these summer programs coming up: Mommy Daughter Cupcake Wars on Saturday July 29 from 10 am til noon, and Family Water Games on Saturday August 19 from 10 am til noon. All activities are free!
Register and find out more at shannonoakschurch.com or on Facebook.
Chamber Connection July 13, 2017
Guess what time it is???? It’s time to turn in your t-shirt designs for the 48th Annual Stew Contest!!! The Chamber will be accepting submitted designs from Monday, July 17th through Monday, July 31st. The submitted entries will be voted on by the Chamber Board of Directors, and the winner will be announced on August 10th. If your design wins the t-shirt contest, it will be used on all shirts, hoodies, and marketing for the 48th Annual Stew Contest! Email your designs to [email protected]. We can’t wait to see the entries!!!!
Sulphur Springs Public Library presents their Summer Reading Program for June and July
The Sulphur Springs Library is hosting a summer reading program called Knights and Princesses Summer Reading Program 2017. Every Tuesday at 3 p.m., they offer multiplayer Minecraft. Storytime for all ages will be held on Tuesday, July 18th and Tuesday, July 25th at 10:30 a.m. They will also have Storytime for the Ages on Thursday, July 20th at 6 p.m.
The Fall Festival is hosting a Splish Splash Water Bash on Saturday, July 15th
The Fall Festival is hosting a Splish Splash Water Bash on Saturday, July 15th on Celebration Plaza from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Kids 12 and under are free of charge, and age 13 and up will cost $5. Kids five and under must be accompanied by an adult. Drinks and snow cones will be for sale. Make plans to spend the afternoon enjoying a day of fun in the water!
The Reilly Springs Jamboree is hosting Jacoby Smith on Saturday, July 15th
Jacoby Smith and his band made up of Brandon, Brian and Mark Reed are all local musicians. Their band Moonlight Twang got started in 2013, then a series of personal tragedies occurred. In early 2017 the band reunited, and are thrilled to be back with real country music that all ages enjoy. See them Saturday July 15 at 7p.m. Hopkins County’s original music venue is smoke-and-alcohol-free family country and gospel entertainment, held each month on the third-Saturday night. Contact Enola Gay at 903-438-3568 or Roger Reed at 903-348-7114.
The Venue at 219 is hosting an Open House with its new owners on Thursday, July 20th at 5 p.m.
The Venue at 219, located at 219 Main Street in Sulphur Springs, is hosting an Open House and ribbon cutting celebration with its new owners on Thursday, July 20th from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Stop by for music, food, beverages, and to check out this wonderful venue!
The Texas Workforce Commission is hosting a Texas Business Conference on Friday, July 21
The Texas Workforce Commission is hosting a Texas Business Conference on Friday, July 21 at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens from 8:45 a.m. to 3:40 p.m. This conference provides information for employers, HR professionals, business owners, and anyone who manages employees. To register, call 512-463-6389 or visit www.texasworkforce.org/tbc.
Community Players presents The Lion King Jr. July 21-22
Community Players presents The Lion King Jr. on Friday, July 21st at 7 p.m., Saturday, July 22nd at 7 p.m., and Sunday, July 23rd at 2 p.m. All performances will be held at the Sulphur Springs High School Auditorium. Tickets are $15.00 at the door or available online at www.mstsulphursprings.com.
Etiquette by Emily is hosting a Business Etiquette Breakdown on Tuesday, July 25th
Etiquette by Emily is hosting Business Etiquette Breakdown on Tuesday, July 25th from 5:15 until 6:15 at The Oaks Bed & Breakfast. The course is being offered free of charge. This course will help you become more comfortable and confident in a business atmosphere with resume building, learning introductions and practical application with key community business leaders! Reserve your spot today by calling (903) 243-6222.
Hunt County Regional is offering July Mobile Mammography Coach in Sulphur Springs
Hunt County Regional Hospital is offering the Tubby Adkisson Memorial Mobile Mammography Coach on July 27th in the Spring Village Shopping Center in Sulphur Springs. All insurances accepted at Hunt Regional are also accepted for the Mobile Mammography Coach, including Medicare and Medicaid. They can also help with payment resources for uninsured/income-eligible women or those who choose to pay cash. For help with payment resources please call The Bridge Breast Network at (214) 821-3820 x 21. To schedule individual screening mammograms, please call (903) 408-5010. Appointments and pre-registration are requested.
Ribbon Cuttings:
ECHO Publishing is getting ready for their Grand Re-Opening on Wednesday, July 12th at noon
ECHO Publishing is hosting their Grand Re-Opening Celebration on Wednesday, July 12th at noon. ECHO is located at 401 on Church Street. Come on by and check out remodeling of ECHO and eat some wonderful BBQ. See you there!
Doctor arrested for providing drugs that led to at least 7 overdose deaths
Article from KFDM.com
TEXAS — From U.S. Attorney’s Office – A 56-year-old Sherman, Texas doctor has been arrested on federal drug conspiracy charges in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Howard Gregg Diamond was indicted on July 6, 2017 and charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, health care fraud and aiding and abetting and money laundering and aiding and abetting. Diamond was arrested on July 11, 2017 in Sherman and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christine Nowak later that day.
Howard Diamond
According to the indictment, beginning in 2010, Diamond is alleged to have conspired with others to write prescriptions for substances such as hydrocodone, oxymorphine, methadone, fentanyl, morphine, oxycodone, alprazolam, and zolpidem, without a legitimate medical purpose. The conspiracy is alleged to have resulted in the overdose deaths of at least seven individuals from 2012 to 2016. Those deaths occurred in Sulphur Springs, Texas; Ardmore, OK; McKinney, Texas; Idabel, OK; Yukon, OK; Abilene, Texas; and Hugo, OK. Diamond ranked 12th in the nation in total prescriptions written in 2014 and first in Texas among doctors specializing in physical rehabilitation medicine.
If convicted, Diamond faces up to life in federal prison. Diamond is scheduled for a detention hearing before Judge Nowak on Friday, July 14, 2017.
This case is being prosecuted under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) as a joint investigation. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, weapons trafficking offenders, money laundering organizations, and those individuals responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Health and Human Services, Internal Revenue Service and the Texas Office of the Attorney General. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Rattan.
An indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This article originally posted here.
Traffic Stop Yields 165 lbs of Marijuana
It does not happen as often as it did in the past but Wednesday night around 10 p.m. Sulphur Springs Police Officer Buddy Williams stopped a 2017 Nissan Sentra at the 131 mile marker and located 165 lbs of marijuana in the trunk of the auto. Williams told KSST News that traffickers are finding other routes than the I-30 corridor that at one time yielded as many as three such stops a night.
Williams said when he stopped the vehicle for a traffic violation, he noticed that all four windows were down and a strong odor of air freshener greeted him. He said there was an undertone, just a hint, of marijuana smell as well. The occupants of the vehicle showed nervous indicators that motivated Williams to ask for consent to search the vehicle. Consent was granted. In the trunk was the 165 lbs of marijuana.
The occupants of the vehicle were traveling to Little Rock, Arkansas from Odessa according to their statement to Williams.
Magali Ibarra-Hernandez, 34, and Guadalupe Garcia-De-Ponce, 36, are individually charged with a Felony 2, Possession of Marijuana more than 50 pounds but less than 2,000 pounds. Each are held on $50,000 bond.
GARCIA-DE-PONCE, GUADALUPE
IBARRA-HERNANDEZ, MAGALI
CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic Recognized for National Excellence in Patient Care
SULPHUR SPRINGS, TX – Health care organizations today are tasked with constantly providing higher quality care at a lower cost. Every aspect of the patient experience must be approached with a passion for excellence and an eye toward efficiency and effectiveness. It’s not easy. That’s why receiving an Excellence in Patient Care Award –presented by Studer Group®, a Huron solution – is considered an honor in the industry. (Complete list of CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System Recognitions are found below.)
CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic will be awarded that honor in August. Specifically, CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic organizations in Jacksonville, Winnsboro and Tyler are being recognized in the physician category for significant achievement across all Clinician and Group Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CG CAHPS) survey composites during 2016.
Excellence in Patient Care Awards are presented annually to a select group of organizations from Studer Group’s partner base of hospitals, health systems, and physician organizations. To be eligible for an award, an organization must demonstrate outstanding performance and achievement in patient care, employee engagement or physician engagement.
“Along with providing world-class health care services and treatment, the physicians, advanced practice providers, nursing staff and everyone that is a part of the CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic team is dedicated to ensuring each and every patient has the best possible experience when they come through our doors,” said Scott Smith, MD, Senior Vice President of CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System and Institute Chief of Primary Care for CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic. “Our goal is to provide the very best in clinical care while ensuring that our patients feel valued, that their concerns are heard and that they are welcomed and understood. Our job is to provide medical care to our patients, but our Mission is to extend the healing ministry of Jesus Christ.”
The awards will be presented at the 15th annual What’s Right in Health Care® best practices conference, which will take place Aug. 1-3, 2017, in Chicago, Illinois. The conference attracts administrative and clinical healthcare professionals from the U.S., Canada, Australia, and beyond.
What’s Right in Health Care aims to improve healthcare for patients, physicians, and staff through peer-to-peer sharing of leading practices. Presenters will share the strategies and tactics contributing to their top results in areas such as patient safety, emergency department wait times, and employee satisfaction.
“CG CAHPS results are a good indicator not just of patient experience but also of clinical quality,” says Debbie Ritchie, president of Studer Group. “We applaud our award winners in this category as well as all the clinicians and their teams in healthcare systems, medical groups, and other organizations who are so clearly driven to provide excellent patient care. We’re grateful to work with so many passionate, purpose-driven people.”
“CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System is committed to providing the very best health care services to the people of Northeast Texas,” said Paul Harvey, MHA, President and Chief Executive Officer of CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs. “This award is a deserved recognition of the tireless work done across our System to improve our patients’ experience and a wonderful example of the commitment of our CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic leaders to our Mission to extending the healing ministry of Jesus Christ.”
See below for the complete list of CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System Recognitions:
Inpatient
- Highest Overall Patient Experience YTD (Large) – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Tyler
- Highest Patient Experience (Small) – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Winnsboro (Runner-up)
- Highest Patient Experience (Large) – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Tyler (Runner-up)
- Most Improved Nurse Communication – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs
Emergency Department
- Highest ED Experience (Small) – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Jacksonville
- Highest ED Experience (Large) – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Tyler
- Most Improved ED Experience – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Jacksonville (Runner-up)
- Highest Physician Domain (Small) – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Jacksonville (tie)
- Most Improved Physician Domain (Small) – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Jacksonville
Top Performers
- Emergency Department – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Jacksonville
- Outpatient Services – CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System Outpatient Services
- Inpatient – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Winnsboro
- Inpatient – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Jacksonville
- Inpatient – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Tyler
Echo Publishing Re-Grand Opening
During the noon hour on Wednesday July 12, the public is invited to tour the new Echo Print and Design Studio of Sulphur Springs, a stand-alone business of Echo Publishing. The business remains in it’s current location on Church Street near downtown, with a new entrance on the south side of the building. The public is invited to stop by between noon and 1:30 pm to meet the staff, tour the new studio and enjoy a BBQ lunch served on the lawn area. According to owner and President Scott Keys, the event marks the re-branding of the Sulphur Springs office to become a third location in the locally-owned chain. The Paris and Mt. Pleasant offices of Echo Print and Design have been in operation for almost 20 years as part of Echo Publishing.
PJC-Sulphur Springs Offers New Direction Options
NEW DIRECTION: Lenae Brown of Sulphur Springs, right, discusses a fall schedule with Tanya Armstrong, educational advisor for the Educational Opportunity Center at the PJC-Sulphur Springs Center. Brown has an associate degree from PJC, but has decided to enter the health occupations field and is returning to school to earn a degree in nursing.
Boys Basketball Camp Day One Focuses on Defense
After observing just a minute or two, it was easy to tell Tuesday’s SSISD Boys Basketball Camp in the main gym at Sulphur Springs High School was run by Wildcats Basketball Coach Clark Cipoletta. In a one-on-one drill among fifth graders, boys playing defense did so aggressively. Defense is a requirement for any Coach Cipoletta team.
Coach Cipoletta said defense is a big part of what he teaches at Sulphur Springs High School. He said if you sell it to kids at an early age, they are more likely to retain it later on. About sixty boys, from those entering kindergarten to fifth graders, showed up Tuesday morning. A session for boys entering sixth through the eighth grade is taking place in the afternoon. Coach Cipoletta said he was pleased with the turnout and he said the boys seemed excited. He said it was fun to be a part of the camp.
Coach Cipoletta said he enjoyed meeting the boys and helping to mold their basketball skills. The camp features the basics of Sulphur Springs’ basketball and fundamentals of the game. Coach Cipoletta said the camp for youngsters accommodates players with some skills already and others just beginning to learn the game. Coach Cipoletta said he teaches passing, dribbling and shooting and how to play team basketball. He said the afternoon session for older boys would obviously be more advanced and would stress good basketball IQ.
The camp will run through Thursday.
2017 Senior Summer Olympics
CANHelp’s Back to School Fair-OPEN TO EVERYONE
By Savannah Owens
CANHelp’s Shanna Martin sat down with KSST to talk about how school supplies registration is going and what people can expect from their Back to School Fair.
One week into registration, CANHelp has about 50 kids registered for school supplies, but the organization expects somewhere between 300 and 1,000 kids to register for school supplies by August 4th. They have received $3,000 in donations, and that money will go towards purchasing school supplies for the backpacks. Anyone can donate money, backpacks or school supplies, but the greatest need is for backpacks.
There are 20 vendors signed up and they are expecting to get five to ten more. Though sponsor information was due on the 7th, CANHelp has extended the deadline to July 16th.
Current Sponsors are:
Alliance Bank
TXU Energy Aid
Sulta Manufacturing Co.
Community Chest
Wesley United Methodist Church
St James Catholic Church
Abacus Home Health
Guaranty Bank & Trust
Johnson Law Firm
Legacy Ag Credit
If you, or someone you know, would like to donate, or become a sponsor, please contact CANHelp or email [email protected]. Donations may be dropped off at CANHelp at 613 Gilmer St. Sulphur Springs, TX, the Way Radio station, or the Sulphur Springs Public Library.
Exhibitors signed up for the event include:
· Department of State Health Services – The dentist from Tyler will be there doing dental screenings and fluoride applications, the local nurse will be there providing immunizations
· Hopkins County Agri-Life – 4H Booth, booth providing nutritional info.
· Abacus Home Health – Providing Health Screenings
· SSPD – providing Kid Print ID’s
· SS Lions Club – Vision Screenings
· Sulphur Springs Public Library
· SAFE-T Domestic Violence Center
· Children’s Hope
· TX Dept. of Transportation
· Children’s Hope
· Hopkins County Community Chest
· Wesley united Methodist Church
· Journey Baptist Church
· Special Health Resources
· CANHelp will have a booth
“Also, we still have room for more booths. If there any groups for kids extracurricular activities such as boy scouts, girl scouts, fall sports, etc. that would like to have a booth, please contact me! We would love to have them!” Martin stated excitedly.
This year’s Back to school fair is different from CANHelp’s previous “Pack the Bus” event put on last year, because the fair is open to anyone and everyone and is completely FREE. It opens at 3:00 pm August 4th at the Hopkins County Civic Center with things to do both inside and outside the building.
It is a one stop shop where families can get hair-cuts, vision screenings, health screenings, immunizations, food and drinks, as well as other goods and services at the many different booths. Booths will all be interactive and there will be games and bounce houses. “We are going to have continuing education resources for the adults as well. We plan to have at least 1 technical college, and are working on getting the surrounding colleges to attend. The fair will truly be for everyone…kids and adults!”
The Police Department will be printing Kidprint ID’s, and the DPS will even have their roll over simulator. Martin is hoping the event will have 500-1,000 attendees. While there is no cost or registration for the event and everyone is encouraged to attend, you must register if you’d like school supplies. To register for school supplies stop by the CANHelp store to receive an application. Applicants only need to bring in the student’s social security cards, parental ID, and ONE of the following: proof of Medicaid, proof of income, or proof that the child is on the free or reduced lunch program at school. “We really want people to try and sign up by August 1st so we will have time to pack all of the back packs.”
Check the CANHelp’s Facebook page for even more updates on the event. It’s definitely not too late to sign up to be a sponsor or to have your own booth. They’re also looking for volunteers to help “stuff” backpacks and help out with the event. Individuals and groups or businesses are encouraged to participate!
Here is the list of needed school supplies.
“Within next couple weeks, Wal-Mart will also be packing backpacks with supplies worth $20 for people to purchase to donate to us for the fair. If anyone would like to volunteer or donate supplies or give a monetary donation, please give us a call at 903-885-9797 ext. 3 or email [email protected]”.
