Flight For Life, CHRISTUS Introduces Pilatus PC-12
Flight for Life and CHRISTUS Mother Frances Health System introduced the local community to the addition of a Fixed Wing Pilatus PC-12 critical care aircraft that has been placed in service recently. Fifty-six care flights have already been carried out since the plane was introduced. The fixed wing plane will join a fleet of helicopters operated by Flight for Life.
Paul Harvey, CEO of CHRISTUS Mother Frances Sulphur Springs, introduced the flight crew and representatives of Fight for Life. Members of the local hospital staff and board along with members of the community were present for the introduction.
The Pilatus PC-12 has a multi-state service area of 350 miles and a secondary service area of over 1,000 miles. Recently a flight carried a burn patient from Tulsa, Oklahoma to the Galveston Shriner Burn Center according to Flight for Life officials. They stated that continuity of care, personal service and optimized health outcomes for patients served by the CHRISTUS system as those patients are moved from one hospital to another is the primary goal of Flight for Life. A larger cabin area accommodates greater specialty equipment and treatment modalities that are a challenge inside the cabin of the existing helicopters. The cabin of the plane allows a member of the patient’s family to accompany the patient on a flight. Critical care dual-certified Flight Nurse and Flight Paramedic clinical team add to the patient’s care.
The airplane is used primarily to move patient from city to city utilizing the local airport at each location. The plane will also enable increased poor-weather capability including the ability to fly in icing conditions.
Flight for Life has been conducting critical care transport for 30 years.
Trojans Celebrate World Win at KSST!
To celebrate their World title, seven of the nine members of the Cumby Robotics teams visited during the KSST Morning Show. They brought two robots and their sponsor, Lee Gifford. Controllers Larek Walker and Ken Chapin described the job of “driving” with hand-held controls while the robots perform tasks during contests. Hannah Jarvis and Lacy Jacobs are part of the support team, helping the drivers watch what the opponent’s robots are doing. Caden Phillips, Hunter Milam and Kadden Cota contribute to design of robots and with strategy during practice sessions. According to Ken and Larek, the 2017 World competition had the robots moving “stars” and “cubes” from one side of the ring or court to the other, similar to a timed tennis match. They also described how they lost the second place title due to a heartbreaking tie-breaker match. Next year’s goals of the VEX contest will be different, and will require different strategies and designs of robots. Presley Clampitt and Jesslyn Bond are also team members. Several of the Robotics students will graduate this year, and new students will be selected to join the “world class” robotics teams at Cumby ISD.
Busy Docket for Eighth Judicial District Court Wednesday
A busy docket for Hopkins County Eighth Judicial District Court Wednesday resulted in several plea bargain agreements. Among those sentenced to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice:
- Derek Lane Carrell, 20, of Sulphur Springs received seven years for Manufacture and Delivery of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 more than 1-gram but less than 4-grams.
- Paris Gallamore received six years for Burglary of a Habitation.
- Valerie Hicks received six years for Manufacture and Delivery of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 more than 1-gram but less than 4-grams.
- Asarias Gaona received two years for for Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 less than 1-gram in a Drug Free Zone.
texas flag courthouse
Local EMS Willing to Accept Ambulance Bus from State
Hopkins County EMS, which is still owned by the Hopkins County Memorial Hospital District, presented a proposal to it’s governing board earlier this week to accept another ambulance. The proposal paves the way for the local EMS to house, maintain, and operate one of the State of Texas’ “Ambus” vehicles. This vehicle is a special EMS unit that can transport or care for up to 20 patients at once, at least ten times as many patients as a standard ambulance. The vehicles are equipped like ambulances, including patient ventilators, wireless vital signs monitoring, suction devices and other life-saving equipment. Although the Ambus can be activated via a statewide response team, it can also be put into service locally, by local personnel. One of only 13 busses statewide, the bus is property of the State of Texas, but the local district would be responsible for housing and operating the vehicle during the two-year agreement with the state.
The Texas Emergency Medical Task Force would like to relocate a bus to Sulphur Springs so that it would be more centrally located in this region. Since the bus would be under local control, it is possible that it could also facilitate multi-patient transfers. Brent Smith, EMS Director stated, “Sometimes, our EMS team has multiple transfers going to Tyler, for instance, and the Ambus could take multiple patients instead of using two or more ambulances.” The Ambus stays “ready to roll” and assists in other instances that could arise. Recently, the Ambus stationed in Palestine assisted in a nearby community to transport nursing home patients to another facility when the nursing home lost power. With it’s ability to transport and monitor 20 patients at a time, the Ambus made quick work of the transfer.
Although the Ambus is technically owned by the State of Texas, the State reimburses our local District for personnel labor and expenses when the Ambus is activated by the State. Geographically, the Ambus would respond to larger emergencies from Rockwall to Texarkana along the I-30 Corridor and also a similar area along the I-20 corridor. Theoretically, the Ambus could respond to larger emergencies at farther distances.
PJC-Sulphur Springs Hosts Campus Carry Policy Town Hall Meetings
Paris Junior College will host three town hall meetings next week in Paris, Greenville and Sulphur Springs.
The town hall meetings will be held at each location so that students, faculty and staff may have input for PJC’s Campus Carry Policy that will be developed by the Campus Carry Committee. The final draft will be presented to the PJC Board of Regents for approval.
State law, passed by the 2015 Texas Legislature, requires all community colleges to develop a policy allowing for “reasonable restrictions” on locations where guns may be carried on college campuses.
The town halls will be held on Monday, May 1, at the PJC-Sulphur Springs Center beginning at 12:30 p.m. in Room 114; Tuesday, May 2, at the PJC Math and Science Building in Paris, Room 101 & 102 at 12:30 p.m.; and on Thursday, May 4, at the PJC-Greenville Center in Room 116 & 118 beginning at 12:30 p.m.
VFW Donates to Meal-A-Day Program
Hopkins County VFW Post 8560 made a $500.00 donation to the Meal A Day Program on Wednesday, April 26th. Karon Weatherman, Director of Meal A Day, receives the check from Post Quartermaster, Travis Estes.
Four Wildcat Band Members Sign Letters of Intent
Four members of the Wildcats’ band signed letters of intent Wednesday morning to continue music study in college. Sam Robinson, a percussionist, is going to Henderson State in Arkansas. Christian Diaz DeLeon, a trombone player, has picked Texas A&M-Commerce. Andrew Moore, in percussion, decided on Stephen F. Austin in Nacogdoches. Seth Womack, a saxophone player, is headed to Texas A&M-Commerce.
Robinson said Band Director Charles McCauley went to Henderson State and loved it and has talked fondly about their music program. Robinson said others also said good things about the university. He said he visited and liked the campus, its’ teachers and its’ band. Robinson would like to become a band director, just like Mr. McCauley.
DeLeon said his father Jesus DeLeon went to Texas A&M-Commerce. Christian’s instructor, who gives him private lessons, works there as a band director and DeLeon said he is an awesome guy. He likes the band and he said he knows it’s the right place for him. Deleon said he would like to be a music arranger for marching bands and perhaps even return to SSHS to write music for the Wildcats’ band.
Moore said he visited SFA’s Nacogdoches campus and said it was beautiful. He added it had nice professors, an excellent music program and a good band and drum line. Moore said he would like to work in a recording studio working with bands helping them with their music.
Womack was attracted to A&M-Commerce because it is a local school close to home. He liked the people there and their band. Womack said he wanted to continue making music in ensembles. He is unsure what his major may be.
McCauley called Wednesday an exciting day for the young people, their families and for the Sulphur Springs band program. He said it is always great to see students continue education after high school and he added it is even more exciting to see that they are going to continue in music while they are in college. Signing Day drew parents and media members.
Wildcat Baseball Hosts Senior Night
On April 25th, 2017, the Wildcats baseball team honored five senior players during senior night celebrations. Kyle Dodd, Micheal Arnold, Mason Buck, Easton Silman, and Heston Golightly all played their final game for the Wildcats, as well as the last ever game in Eagle Stadium. Following presentations of the seniors, former Eagle players threw out the first pitches for the game. In between each inning prizes were given out to fans to commemorate the special evening.
Hale, Wimberly Named to TASCO 5-A All State Team
Two Lady Cats’ senior soccer players have received some post season honors.
Goalkeeper Abbi Hale was selected as an honorable mention choice on the TASCO All-State Team in Class 5A .
Defender Kamryn Wimberly made the honorable mention list for the TASCO All-Regional Team in Region II in Class 5A.
Both teams were selected by the Texas Association of Soccer Coaches. The selections were announced by Lady Cats Soccer Coach Jesus DeLeon Wednesday morning.
