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
The Edge Resumes With Solid Varsity Turnout
Because of a longer than usual non-school summer schedule, this year’s The Edge conditioning program was designed with a two-week break in it. Some wondered if athletes would come back after such a break. The Edge for high school students resumed Monday morning (July 24) with good numbers.
Wildcats Football Offensive Coordinator Matt Young called the turnout outstanding and said it matched the kind of participation seen back in the second week of The Edge. He said 80 to 85% of Wildcats’ football varsity players were attending. Coach Young said there were about 25 freshmen boys attending and he added girls’ numbers were up when compared to the last week before the break during July 4th week. He noted that some of the athletes were hurting a little bit Monday.
Coach Young said getting back with their teammates caused some athletes to work harder Monday. He said the attitude of the athletes continued to be great. Coach Young said that might be because the start of football season is just around the corner and the new football stadium is taking shape. He said the older players on the varsity are really motivated to get better with the season nearing.
Coach Young said if they stick with it during the final two weeks of The Edge, they will be in great shape with just one week off before the start of football practice.
SSPD Major Offenses Reported for First Six Months of 2017
In the first six months of 2017, Sulphur Springs Police Chief Jay Sanders said the trend for major offenses continues a downward slope. He said that due to better coverage of the city, major crimes have decreased over the past few years.
In the first six months no homicide has occurred. However, that number will change with death of the woman who jumped from the League Street Bridge Monday, July 24, 2017. That number will be reflected in the end of year totals for 2017.
Two sexual assaults took place between January 1st and June 30th of this year. One assault occurred in March and the other in June. Nine other varied assaults other than simple assault took place during the six month period.
Two robberies, one in February and one in May are on the books.
Seven burglaries of a habitation and five burglaries of a building were reported during the first six months. Forty (40) theft over $200 were reported and seven motor vehicle thefts were reported.
Woman Dies in Jump From League Street Bridge
At 12:35 a.m. Monday, Sulphur Springs Police noticed a vehicle parked at the League Street overpass and a white female standing over the guardrail on the overpass over Shannon Road, the south service road, according to Police Chief Jay Sanders. She refused to respond to a negotiator and jumped.
The officer called for assistance and Seth McDaniel, a trained negotiator for the department who was on duty, responded. In attempts to communicate with the female, she refused to speak or communicate with McDaniel. At one point, she leaned back and was hanging onto the guardrails. He continued to attempt to open communications. Other officers and EMS responded to the scene. She finally let go of the guardrail and fell. At this time no note or other information that would identify a reason for the incident has been found.
EMS found her to have a strong pulse and to be breathing when they began to attend her on Shannon Road. Chief Sanders said the trauma to the head was severe and she died at the hospital. Justice of the Peace B. J. Teer ordered the body sent for autopsy.
This is not the first death resulting from a jump off the League Street Bridge. In 2013, Tony Crayton, accused in the death of his wife, Jessica Tyler Townsend Crayton, at her home in October of last year. As police began to search for a suspect, they got a report that Crayton had jumped off the League Street Bridge onto I-30 injuring him. He did not die from the injuries and was convicted for the murder. Jumps from College Street and Loop 301 overpasses have also occurred. Chief Sanders said this is an unusual event but when it occurs the department responds as quickly as possible.
Dinner Bell Menu For August 16, 2017
Dinner Bell Menu for
August 16, 2017
Our Savior Lutheran Church
this week’s Community Partner.
This Wednesday before the students go back to school our menu stars old fashioned comfort foods. Flapper Pudding (so easy a flapper could make it) is a 1920’s vintage dessert that has been reworked to remove the raw eggs in the original recipe and renamed Pineapple Dream Dessert. It tastes just like the original that was the favorite dorm dessert at the University of Texas in the late 1950’s. Chicken Pot Pie is a staple our great-grandparents grandparents ate often for Sunday lunch. Join us as we walk down Memory Lane in Fellowship Hall, First United Methodist Church, at 11:45 a.m.
The Menu:
Chicken Pot Pie
Bacon Infused Green Beans
Garden Salad
Hot Rolls and Butter
Pineapple Dream Dessert
Low Fat, Low Calorie Pineapple Cake
Tea or Water
Senior’s Prom was a “Mad Hatter’s Tea Party”
Excitement was high at the annual Seniors Prom at the Sulphur Springs Senior Citizen’s Center, themed “A Mad Hatter’s Tea Party”. Many who attended dressed in outrageous costumes and had a lot of memorable fun. Al Bass was named Prom King and Odell Tarpley was named Prom Queen. It also happened to be Odell’s 93rd birthday! Terry Cunningham “clowned around” the provide the entertainment. Karon Weatherman, director of the Sr’s Center, organized the event.
Prom King Al Bass and Prom Queen Odell Tarpley
Terry Cunningham, professional clown entertainer
