Page Arrested; Faces Adjudication on Two Charges
August 1, 2023 – Melissa Kathleen Page was arrested at the Adult Probation office after being notified of warrants for her arrest.
Page was taken into custody and transported to Hopkins County Jail without incident.
Page was arrested in 2018 after all four of her children tested positive for methamphetamine. The Special Crimes Unit worked with Child Protective Services on the case. See that story here.
In 2022 Page was arrested and charged with theft of property valued at $2,500 or more but less than $30,000 and failure to maintain financial responsibility. See that story here.
Page faces adjudication on these charges.
1826941 1 22.041(F) ABANDON ENDANGER CHILD INT/KNOW/RECK/CRIM NEG
2229245 1 1020 THEFT OF PROPERTY 2500 TO 30K
Previously, Page’s pleas of no contest were deferred on the two charges. Instead of immediate sentencing, she received probation. However, motions to proceed with adjudication have been issued. This happens when a court determines an individual may have violated the terms of probation. A person in this situation can face the maximum penalties allowed on all charges.
If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1
The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.
Hopkins County Chamber Connection August 1st
Lunch and Learn
The Eclipse is coming, and so are the visitors. If you have an extra space to rent out to visitors the weekend before the total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, 2024, you will want to sign up for our Lunch and Learn this month.
The Chamber is sponsoring a Lunch and Learn on Wednesday, Aug. 16, to explain how to get your property ready for a possible rental. AirBnB entrepreneur Callie Bradshaw will be on hand to help explain the process of putting rental property on the website. We will also discuss insurance and other peripheral information.
The Lunch and Learn will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at a venue to be determined by the number of participants. Cost is $20 for Chamber members and $25 for non members. Call us at 903-885-6515 or email us at [email protected] to sign up.
Eclipse Information
When April 8, 2024 rolls around, get ready!
Almost weekly, we are messaged, called or visited by people who will be coming to Hopkins County for the total solar eclipse on that date. They are coming from around the country and literally around the world. Our latest message was from Karen Ridgway in the United Kingdom, who said she was coming to Sulphur Springs for the eclipse. “Can’t wait!” she wrote.
If you and your business aren’t already thinking about what to do when literally tens of thousands of visitors will be here for that weekend leading up to the Monday eclipse, now is the time to start! The Chamber is making plans for a weekend market and is looking for sponsors to help us bring a concert to town for the Sunday evening before the eclipse. But, there are plenty of options and opportunities available for all businesses.
If you have an idea or an event, please contact us at the Chamber and we will help promote it on the website TotalEclipseSSTX.com. It’s not only time to start planning, it’s time to start getting things ready for our visitors.
Stewcomers Meeting
We will have a Stewcomers meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 8 in the Chamber of Commerce Conference Room for first-year cooks and those who want more information about the 54 th Annual Hopkins County Stew Festival. Please call us at 903-885-6515 or email us at [email protected] for more information or to let us know you’re coming. The meeting will be brief but informative, and those who attend are not required to come to the new cooks meeting in October.
Stewing It up
If you are a returning stew cook or a new cook who wants to get in on the biggest annual event in Hopkins County, it’s time to start registering. Registration for stew cooks is now available online at HopkinsChamber.org. The cost remains the same for our cooks — $100 registration fee. You can also pre-order this year’s T-shirt with Stew Cook on the back for just $20 each. If you are a returning stew cook, check your email account for a form sent from us, and if you don’t do email, then you should have received a registration form in the mail.
The 54th Annual Hopkins County Stew Festival, presented by Alliance Bank, has been able to keep its costs down because of our generous businesses in the community, and the cost just got even cheaper for some families. Signature Solar and the Chamber announced last week that children 12 and under will eat free at the festival on Saturday, Oct. 28, due to Signature Solar’s generous sponsorship. Children will still need tickets, which can be obtained either online or via paper tickets. Online tickets, which are $8 each for everyone 13 years and older, are available at HopkinsChamber.org. Paper tickets will be available in early August at the Chamber and local banks.
City National Bank will be sponsoring the Friday night festivities, Oct. 27, and we will be announcing that line-up soon. Thanks to all of our sponsors who make the stew festival affordable for families in Hopkins
County. Follow the Chamber’s Instagram and Facebook accounts for spotlights on our sponsors and updates on the stew festival.
Hopkins County Law Enforcement
The Hopkins County Law Enforcement Association will have a Golf Tournament fundraiser at the Sulphur Springs Country Club on Aug. 21. The four-person teams will tee off at 10 a.m. For sponsor or player information, call Michael Russell at 903-438-4040 or email [email protected].
Candidate Forum
A forum for those running for Texas House District 2 is set for Saturday, Sept. 9, at the Hopkins County Regional Civic Center. Hot dogs and homemade ice cream will be available at 5 p.m., followed by the candidate forum at 6:30 p.m. District 2 covers Hopkins, Hunt and Van Zandt counties. If you have questions for the candidates, send them to Donnie Wisenbaker at [email protected]; Lance Lenz a [email protected]; or David Hale at [email protected].
Wedding Expo
The DIY Wedding Expo is coming back to the Civic Center from noon to 5 p.m. on Sept. 23. For more information on sponsorships or vendor spaces, contact Tracey Treadway at 214-683-7669 or [email protected].
Ribbon Cutting
Goodwill Industries, 1320 Shannon Road, will host a grand reopening after making improvements to its facility at noon on Friday, Aug. 4. Please join us for this event.
Bearden Arrested; Charged with Theft
August 1, 2023 – CLASTON WAYNE BEARDEN was arrested this week and charged with theft.
At around 9AM Monday, Bearden was observed to be in possession of a trailer with a four-wheeler on it. The items did not belong to him. Hopkins County Sheriff’s Deputies questioned Bearden about the items. He denied stealing them.
While arresting Bearden, he attempted to resist, was uncooperative and allegedly threatened one of the Deputies. Another Deputy pulled his Taser, and Bearden then immediately complied. His Chevy pickup was impounded. Bearden is charged with:
1 31.03(F) THEFT PROP >=$2500<$30K ENH IAT
This is not the first time Bearden has been in jail:
In 2010 he was indicted by a Wood County Grand Jury on assault, with previous convictions, causing bodily injury to a family member.
In 2016 he was arrested and charged with Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a convicted felon. He was indicted by a Hopkins County Grand Jury on the charges. See that story here.
In 2018 he was arrested in Franklin County Texas and charged with Probation/parole violation; Theft of property $2500<$30k; Possession of controlled substance PG 1<1G
In 2020 he was arrested and charged with possession of controlled substances. See that story here.
If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1
The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.
Morning Trip Lands Bucher in Jail
August 1, 2023 – With the help of a Texas State Park Police Officer, ZACKERY MICHAEL BUCHER was arrested after he tore through a local truck stop parking lot.
At around 10AM Monday, A Texas State Park Police Officer observed a black Ford Mustang enter a local truck stop at a high rate of speed. The Ford nearly missed an SUV pulling out of a parking space. The driver then barreled in a packing space nearly colliding with an adjacent vehicle’s open door. The driver, 30 year-old Bucher, did back up and allow the other driver to open their door and exit their vehicle.
Police observed this reckless behavior and performed a records check on the vehicle. The owner was found to have warrants. Bucher was then observed exiting the parking lot in the same reckless manner. A traffic stop was initiated a few block away. Bucher admitted to not having a valid driving licence, and no insurance. He was then arrested and taken to Hopkins County jail without incident. His mustang was released to a friend.
Bucher is charged with:
22A1217 1 FAIL TO MAINTAIN FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Z55357 1 CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL BY A MINOR
22A1216 1 DRIVING WHILE LICENSE INVALID
213315 1 CPF DWLI (SSPD)
230504 1 DWLI (SSPD)
230505 1 FTMFR (SSPD)
This is not the first time Bucher has been in Hopkins County Jail. In February of 2023 he was arrested and charged with:
3656 EXPIRED REGISTRATION
521.457 DRIVING WHILE LICENSE INVALID
3001 SPEEDING >10% POSTED SPEED LIMIT
521.457 DRIVING WHILE LICENSE INVALID
If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1
The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.
Amanda Lowe Selected as Texas A&M University-Commerce Director of Alumni Engagement
COMMERCE, TX—Texas A&M University-Commerce has hired Amanda Lowe as the new Director of Alumni Engagement. Lowe will assume the role on Monday, July 31.
As the new director, Lowe will lead the university’s alumni engagement programming and serve as executive director of the A&M-Commerce Alumni Association. She has served on the Alumni Association Board of Directors for the past six years.
“I have been blessed to already understand the inner workings of the board. I’ve met amazing alumni through that connection, so I’m super excited to continue those relationships and build more,” she said.
A&M-Commerce President Mark Rudin said he looks forward to working with Amanda as she continues to expand Alumni Engagement.
“A strong alumni base is the backbone of a great university,” Rudin said. “Amanda is a talented leader who will help us grow our Alumni Association as we increase engagement with and participation from our Lion alums around the world.”
A proud A&M-Commerce alumna, Lowe earned her Bachelor of Science and Master of Education degrees from A&M-Commerce. She also earned a Master of Education from Texas Tech University.
Lowe comes to her new role from Greenville ISD, where she devoted 18 years to her career in public education. Most recently, she served as the district’s dean of instruction, where she analyzed student data and implemented classroom intervention programs.
Lowe set her sights on the alumni director position for several reasons. Foremost, she is passionate about A&M-Commerce and wants to continue giving back to her alma mater. She is especially excited about directing alumni initiatives to support students in their pursuit of higher education.
“Giving back is important, so I’m ready to do that,” Lowe said. “Moving from K-12 into higher education, I can still impact students’ lives. As a first-generation college graduate, I know how difficult it is. When I was a college student, I knew nothing, but through the support of advisors and people at A&M-Commerce who cared, I was successful.”
She also loves connecting with alumni and hearing their stories.
“Coming back to the university and reconnecting with the people who set me on my path and mentored me—like Jency Holbert—make Lion alumni special to me,” she said. “I enjoy listening to all the stories and legacies people have created here, and I love hearing about the connections that were made here.”
As the new director, Lowe aims to increase alumni engagement levels. To that end, she is designing outreach campaigns, planning events and updating database systems to connect with more alumni. She is also planning initiatives to introduce the Alumni Association to current students.
“I want our students to get to know the Alumni Association as soon as they set foot on campus, not just upon graduation,” she said.
Devin Girod, vice president of Philanthropy and Engagement at A&M-Commerce, said Lowe is well positioned for the directorship.
“We are thrilled that Amanda is joining our team to lead Alumni Engagement for the Lion community. As an alumna and former Alumni Association board member, she understands our vision for advancing all facets of a top-tier, Division I university through the support of our alumni and friends,” Girod said.
The previous director, Derryle Peace, retired in May 2023 after leading Alumni Engagement for more than 18 years.
Lowe has been married for 18 years to Kyle, assistant chief of police at A&M-Commerce. The couple have a 10-year-old daughter, McKenna. The family makes their home in Commerce. Lowe enjoys gardening (her back porch is her solitude and her happy place), singing (she has a music theatre background) and spending time with her family and their core group of friends, most of whom are Lion alumni.
About Texas A&M University-Commerce
Texas A&M University-Commerce serves rural and metropolitan East Texas with a dedicated mission to Educate. Discover. Achieve. With an enrollment of 10,754 students, A&M-Commerce is the fourth-largest member of The Texas A&M University System. Students choose from among 135+ academic degrees at the undergraduate and graduate levels and learn from world-class faculty who conduct nationally recognized research. A vibrant student experience includes a thriving Greek community and more than 100 student-led organizations. As a member of the Southland Conference, A&M-Commerce features 14 NCAA Division I athletic teams. The university offers classes online and on-site in Commerce, Corsicana, McKinney, Mesquite, Bryan (RELLIS) and the newest location at 8750 North Central Expressway in Dallas.
Contact: Michael Johnson
Executive Director of Marketing and Communications
903.886.5128
Holly Rena Daniel Arrested; Charged With Fraud
Jul 31, 2023 – Hopkins County resident Holly Rena Daniel, age 44, was arrested in Hopkins County on July 28, 2023.
Daniel’s bond was set at $10,000. She was released from jail the same day she was arrested. Daniel is charged with:
1 32.51(C-1) FRAUD USE/POSS IDENT INFO # ITEMS <5 ELDERLY
An online records check shows Holly Rena Daniel to be a realtor in the Tyler, TX area and in Hopkins County. KSST reached out to Daniel by phone, she had no comment.
If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1
The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.
CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs Receives Highest Rating
CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs Earns National Recognition for Nurse Communication
(Sulphur Springs, Texas) – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs has received
the highest rating for nurse communication in a recent survey conducted by the Hospital Consumer
Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) data.
The hospital is one of 27 in Texas and two in East Texas to earn five stars for nurse communication.
The nurse communication star rating combines data from three HCAHPS survey questions and
summarizes how well patients feel that their nurses explained things clearly, listened carefully to the
patient, and treated the patient with courtesy and respect. “Patient experience is one of the core items we focus on every single day,” said Anitha Sanderson, chief nursing officer. “We are constantly striving to provide the very best to our patients, no matter what level of care they require.”
The star rating is based on survey data collected from hospital patients from July 2021 through June
2022.
The American Hospital Association lists the total number of hospitals in the country as 6,129.
Of that group, just 364, including Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs, earned a five-star
rating for nurse communication.
“For our nurses, this is a great recognition that reflects the incredible work they do,” Sanderson
said.
Firefighter Evan Brown Dies From On-Duty Accident
A Honey Grove firefighter has died from his injuries sustained in an on-duty vehicle accident on July 9, 2023. According to the Honey Grove Fire Department, Brown was responding to another crash call when he struck a cow in the road in his personal vehicle. His vehicle rolled, and Brown was ejected and severely injured. Brown was transported to Plano Medical City Hospital and remained in ICU until his passing. Another firefighter, Bryson Braley, was also in the vehicle and suffered minor injuries from the crash.
The Honey Grove Volunteer Fire Department has put out a call to other first responders around the region to take shifts at Cooper Sorrells Funeral Home in Honey Grove, where Brown’s body is under Honor Guard Watch. A link to a sign-up sheet is provided below as well as a link to a GoFundMe fundraiser for Brown’s family is available below. The Honey Grove Volunteer Fire Department urges anyone with question to reach out to them on the HGVFD facebook page or call Adam Aldridge (903) 715-2943.
Texas Governor Approves Tax Cut
Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently signed an $18 billion tax cut for Texas property owners, and now the measure will go before Texas voters in November.
Texas has some of the highest property taxes in the country, with Texas lawmaker working feverishly this year to find common ground on a way to cut property taxes in the midst of one of Texas’ largest budget supluses.
This new law, if approved by Texas voters, will increase the homestead expemtion for homeowners from $40,000 to $100,000 as well as a temporary 20% appraisal cap on yearly value increase for non-homestead properties under $5 million of valuation. Also in the new law, there are some adjustments to the franchise tax that will benefit small businesses.
The appraisal cap and franchise tax changes will be a huge benefit to small businesses as they cannot have their appraisals increase more than 20% in one year although this measure is not retroactive so the high appraisal increases over the past few years will stay.
As for the franchise tax, two changes will occur. Small businesses will see the franchise threshold increase from one million to two million dollars and also those not meeting the threshold will no longer have to file any forms.
All of these changes will be on the ballot in November as one referendum and are certain to pass.
Pickton Man Arrested on Theft Warrant
July 31, 2023 – RICKY LEE SCHAKOSKY aka Ricky Lee Schakasky was arrested this weekend in Hopkins County on a Tarrant County warrant for Theft.
Sulphur Springs Police received a tip that Schakasky, who lists himself as a self employed mechanic, was at a Jennings Street address in Sulphur Springs. They confirmed a warrant for his arrest. Schakasky was arrested and transported to Hopkins County Jail without incident. His Ford was released to his wife.
This is not the first time Schakasky has been in jail.
In July 2012 Schakasky was arrested in Houston County by authorities after being linked to seven battery thefts. Schakasky was caught with 13 batteries in his vehicle, six were linked to gas well sites in Angelina, TX.
In June 2014 the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office arrested Lee Schakosky, of Nacogdoches. He was booked into the Cherokee County Jail on charges of burglary of a building. He was caught robbing engine parts from a Cherokee County man’s garage.
KSSTRadio.com publishes Sulphur Springs Police Department reports and news. The Police Department is located at 125 Davis St., Sulphur Springs, Texas. Non-emergency calls can be made to (903) 885-7602.
If you have an emergency dial 9-1-1.
The Sulphur Springs Police Department continues to serve its citizens with pride in its overall mission and will strive to provide the best possible police force in the 21st century.
If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1
The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.
