Hopkins County 4-H’ers Bring Home Awards By Johanna Hicks
Hopkins County 4-H’ers Bring Home Awards
Summer is a busy time around the Hopkins County Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office! Our summer has included the Hopkins County Dairy Festival and Dairy Show; three-week Kids’ Camp: Fun, Food, Fitness; District 4-H Record Book contest; three-day Multi-County 4-H Camp; 4-H Montana Exchange trip fund-raisers; and preparation for the 4-day Skills Camp…and I’m tired! However, I love my job and my husband knows that I thrive on staying busy!
My co-worker, Mario and I, recently returned from Multi-County 4-H Camp, held at Lakeview Baptist Conference Center and Camp, in Lone Star. I led the “Fun with Food” workshops. This included a hands-on activity in which campers made and named their own snack mix. MyPlate Jeopardy was also used to provide a little friendly competition while reinforcing nutrition information, kitchen safety, and fight bac (bacteria/food safety). Mario, along with his wife, led the Archery workshops, where campers learned the correct techniques for holding a bow and arrow, aiming, shooting a target, archery terminology, and safety. Other sessions included Ropes course, Nature (campers made a walking stick from bamboo stalks), Healthy Lifestyles (team games), and STEM (campers used simple robots and drones to accomplish a given task). Free-time was also included for campers to swim, kayak, hike, fish, play ping-pong, visit the snack shack or gift shop, or simply hang out with other campers.
Hopkins County was represented by 17 youth and adults at this camp, including my college intern. 4-H members, in addition to Hopkins County, included Hunt, Camp, Cass, Kaufman, Bowie, Upshur, and Wood Counties. Our 4-H’ers came home with numerous awards that were given on the last day of camp:
- Braden Lennon – “Fish Hook Award”
- Joel Villarino – Healthy Lifestyles team award
- Honesty Bridges – STEM team award and Jeopardy team award
- Jacy Barnett – team skit award and Team competition awards
- Maddie Holt – Healthy Lifestyles team award
- Trinity Sickles – STEM team award
- Elida Miller – MyPlate Jeopardy Team award
- Aspen Mayhew, Emily Everett, and Alexis Villarino did an awesome job on team work and in workshops!
Hopkins County 4-H members Geoffrey Stewart and Cade Goldsmith attended Ultra 4-H Leadership Lab. This camp is for 4-H members ages 14 and up and focuses on leadership. Many activities, including team work and speeches from District 4-H Council officers, took place.
Congratulations to each of these 4-H members for being part of camp week!
Diabetes 1st Step: Live Healthy, be Hopeful
Texas AM& AgriLife Extension Service is offering a free online, self-paced course on the basics of diabetes self-management. This would be particularly beneficial for people who are newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, or for those who want to learn more about diabetes self-care. To register for the free online course, go to: https://extensiononline.tamu.edu/courses/health.php From there, just follow the onscreen instructions. For more information, call our office at 903-885-3443.
Closing Thought
Motivation will almost always beat mere talent – anonymous
Johanna Hicks
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
Family & Consumer Sciences
1200-B W. Houston
P.O.Box 518
Sulphur springs, TX 75483
903-885-3443 – phone
903-439-4909 – Fax
[email protected]
Tira News July 14, 2017
Mark your calendars for an ice cream social at the Tira Community Center on Saturday, July 29th, at 4:00 p.m. Come visit with neighbors, enjoy a sweet treat, and let the kids play on the playground.
Robert, Yvonne, and Wesley Weir went to Galveston last Thursday and stayed in “an almost beachside” house on Crystal Beach, with Malorie Padrones and her family and another couple. Yvonne says, “Besides enjoying the beach, the three of us went out on the bay fishing and went to Moody Aquarium. Wes loved the penguins and the ferry.”
Dustin, Wesley, and Yvonne Weir and Maria (Dustin & Natalie’s niece) drove to South Dakota to visit Yvonne’s home place. They left on June 12th and returned on June 22nd. They enjoyed being at the Hall ranch, as well as the cabin at Shadehill Lake. On the way home they visited Mount Rushmore, the Crazy Horse statue, and enjoyed seeing the landscapes of the Badlands.
Our daughter, Tiffany Vaughn, and grandchildren, Kenden and Jaidyn Joslin, and I took a mini vacation last weekend and picked up Tiffany’s granddaughter, Dixie, in Kountze, on Friday afternoon. We drove back to Piney Shores Resort on Lake Conroe and spent the evening swimming and enjoying the beautiful sunset. We stayed up late playing games in the lodge, and then slept late on Saturday. We drove to Jacksonville and went to the Cherokee Trace Drive-Thru Safari, where we all enjoyed seeing the animals up close and getting to feed them. We stopped in Tyler for a delicious meal at the Texas Roadhouse on the way home. Dixie is spending a few days with Landon, Laiken, Rylan, Brailon, and Slaiden.
I always need and appreciate input from my friends to help keep me informed of news in our community. If you have any news pertaining to Tira residents, past or present, please contact me, Jan Vaughn, at 903-945-2190 or 903-438-6688 or [email protected].
Intersection Change at Arbala Road and Texas Street to Improve Safety
PARIS – Texas Department of Transportation officials today announced that construction to improve the safety of the traveling public and emergency response personnel in Hopkins County will begin July 17, 2017. TxDOT will remove the merge lane that enables traffic traveling north on Arbala Road to merge onto Texas Street. Instead, traffic will continue a short way along Arbala Road to its intersection with Texas Street before turning right onto Texas Street. The pavement at this intersection will be widened moderately to accommodate this change in the traffic flow, TxDOT officials said.
The intent of this project is to provide safer ingress and egress for emergency response personnel and their vehicles when leaving and returning to the Hopkins County Fire Department on Texas Street, near its intersection with Arbala Road. The City of Sulphur Springs and Hopkins County have both passed resolutions supporting the change in traffic flow. TxDOT officials anticipate completion of this project on July 26, weather permitting.
Those who must travel in this area are asked to pay special attention to all signs and traffic controls, and reduce their speed as they approach and travel through work zones. They should also avoid distractions such as cell phones, eating, drinking, or car audio or navigation systems.
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.
