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]”.
Sulphur Springs City Council Approves Bids, Zoning Changes. Ordinances in July Special Session; Sales Tax Receipts Down for Second Month
During Tuesday’s Sulphur Springs City Council meeting, Finance Director Peter Kartens told the council that sales tax revenue has been slightly down during the past two months but the weaker receipts are not a trend. Kartens said he expects the revenue to increase before the end of the year. Even with the weak two months, $10,000 below estimates, the year’s receipts remain on target to be budget $90,000 above last year and the estimates for the current year. The council approved items on their special session agenda but are continuing to seek one to serve on the Downtown Revitalization Board and one as an alternate to the Zoning Board of Adjustments and Appeals.
A bid of $498,590 by Highway 19 Construction for concrete and work on South Moore Street was approved. The bid was the lowest of four bids submitted. This is the first time the city has worked with Highway 19 Construction but according to city staff, the company did the work on South Broadway Street authorized by TxDOT and received a positive reference from the state agency.
The council voted to continue to deny the rate increase requested by ONCOR. In a recent meeting the council suspended the effective date for the rate increase and joined with other cities in opposing the increase. City Manager Marc Maxwell said the cities are nearing an agreement with ONCOR but must continue to deny the request until an agreement is reached.
An equipment only tax abatement was granted Ocean Spray for new equipment purchased for packaging and a new boiler installation. The new equipment will not add to the effluent produced by the company. A commercial industrial reinvestment zone for properties at Ocean Spray was also approved.
Council approved the first reading of two ordinances related to funding work for the city. One ordinance will provide tax certificates issued funds for paying contractual obligations incurred to fund water and sewer system improvements and other municipal expenses and the other ordinance for the issuance of bonds to provide funds for the purpose of refunding outstanding obligations of the city issued for various public improvements and for paying the cost of issuance of the bond.
Properties on College Street were rezoned from multi-family to single family. The neighborhood where the properties are located is historically single family and the owners of the two properties rezoned desired to have their properties reflect that fact.
A Jefferson Street property was rezoned from light industrial to light commercial. The property is currently vacant.
A replat of a portion of 12 acres on Gilmer Street across from Toliver Ford was approved.
Seven chemical bids were accepted to provide the chemicals needs for the city water treatment plant. The bids were made by companies that have previously provided chemicals. The council voted to accept the low bid in each category.
City Manager’s Report for July Special Session
LOCUST STREET – The utility work (water, sewer, gas) is complete. Cement stabilization is complete and concrete work continues to progress from north to south. The concrete work is approximately 70% complete.
MOORE STREET – Utility work is nearly completed on Moore Street. The Capital Construction Division has completed the sewer improvements, and water improvements will be completed before the next city council meeting. Atmos has replaced the gas main. The contract for concrete street construction is later on the agenda.
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT – Work continues at the wastewater treatment plant. The concrete work for the three large primary clarifiers is nearly completed. Total suspended solids (TSS) came in at 1.3 mg/L, well within the limit of 10 mg/L.
CLAIMS – We did not have any liability claims in June. We had one minor workers’ compensation claim for a cat bite. The police department submitted one claim to our insurer for damage to electronics resulting from a lightning strike.
Elsewhere around the city, employees:
- Repaired 107 potholes.
- Made 26 extensive road repairs following utility repairs. 10 repairs were water and sewer, and 16 were Atmos.
- Repaired 4 water mains.
- Replaced 29 water meters and made 3 new water taps.
- Repaired 2 storm drains.
- Unstopped 16 sewer mains.
- Washed 85,000 feet of sewer mains.
- Flushed 35 dead end water mains.
- Treated 139 million gallons of potable water.
- Sold 3,799 gallons of AvGas and 7,854 gallons of JetA fuel.
- Aerated and fertilized athletic fields.
- Made repairs to Highway 11 lift station.
- Made 4 felony arrests in the special crimes unit.
- Responded to 190 animal control calls and achieved an adoption rate of 55%.
- Made 55 arrests in the patrol division, wrote 532 citations, recorded 45 offences and responded to 30 accidents.
- Conducted 37 building inspections, 36 electrical inspections, 27 plumbing inspections, 6 mechanical inspections, and issued 32 building permits.
- Responded to 100 fire/rescue calls including 1 structure fire.
- Conducted 56 fire inspections.
- Maintained 84 fire hydrants.
- Kicked off the summer reading program at the library.
- Checked out 2,752 materials and 308 e-books from the library.
Vintage Market Coming to Downtown Sulphur Springs
Marlene DeYong, DBA member and downtown merchant
“Brick Street Vintage Market” is a unique market experience being planned by the Sulphur Springs Downtown Business Alliance. Marlene DeYong, a local fashion merchant and DBA member was a guest during the KSST Morning Show with Enola Gay. Marlene announced that the Vintage Market will be held on Saturday September 16, 2017 between 8am and 6pm along several streets and sidewalks in the downtown district.
Vendors are needed! If you are a vendor of vintage antique, repurposed or handmade items, or vintage-inspired clothing or home decor, you are encouraged to submit an application and photos for selection. Photos should showcase vendor’s booth presentation. Selected artists and gardeners are also invited to apply for vendor space. The event will be held rain or shine. Cost is $25 for a 10×10 space. Pick up an application at Gourmet Kitchen and Company at 213 Main Street, at Danna’s at 438 Gilmer Street or from any DBA merchant, or contact [email protected]. Applications can be mailed to 213 Main Street, Sulphur Springs, Texas 75482
The Brick Street Vintage Market event is scheduled for the same weekend as the popular Quilt Show,which attracts scores of visitors to the Sulphur Springs downtown area during mid-September. The Downtown Business Alliance expects that it will be a boost to the entire local economy. Following Vintage Market, the next DBA downtown event will be the popular Heritage Square Car Show set for November 4, 2017.
