Agreement in Principle Reached to Transfer Ownership of Local Newspaper
Ownership of the Sulphur Springs News Telegram, Country World, Neighborhood Shopper, and Down Home Living magazine will be transferred to Southern Newspapers according to an agreement in principle announced by Echo Publishing Company Tuesday in a News Telegram front page story .
Dolph Tillotson, President of Southern, assured the staff of the publications that no major changes are planned in staffing or in publications or frequency of publication. Scott Keys, President and COO of Echo Publishing stated that SNI has the same respect for community and values that have guided the Frailey-Keys family during the 65 years of ownership of the local paper. Keyes noted in a News Telegram front page story Tuesday that the single, family-owned daily newspapers are almost impossible to maintain.
Echo Publishing will continue operating its Commercial Printing division and both the newspaper and the printing company will be housed in the current facility. Echo Publishing Company will maintain ownership of the building and the newspaper will rent space for two years following finalization of the sale.
Southern Newspapers Inc, a privately owned Texas corporation, currently owns the Paris News, Texas’ oldest newspaper The Galveston County Daily News, and newspapers in Lufkin, Nacogdoches, New Braunfels, Seguin, Kerrville, Baytown, Bay City, Del Rio, Lake Jackson-Brazoria County, three newspapers in Alabama, and one in Tennessee. Founded in the 1950’s by B. Carmage Walls, the company is owned today by his daughter Lissa Williams Walls.
Since the days of F. W. “Bill” Frailey and William “Bill” Bradford, KSST and the News-Telegram worked together promoting the progress and growth of Sulphur Springs and the surrounding area. Frailey served as publisher of the newspaper until 1975 when his son-in-law, Clarke Keyes was named publisher. Keys’ son Scott became publisher in 1995.
Lady Cat Track Takes First at Denison
The Lady Cats’ track team took first place at their first meet of the season last Thursday at Denison. Coach Triston Abron said he was really pleased with the way his team competed. He added the team wasn’t in real good track shape yet.
Abbi Beggs took first in the discus and Jamille Hall was third. Imani Taylor was first in the long jump in second in triple jump. N’ysa Dugan was second in long jump. Kaylee Jefferson earned points by placing in the high jump. Freshman Hannah Moore also competed in high jump.
Distance runner Sydni Washburn was first in the 3200-meters and either first or second in the 1600-meters, according to Coach Abron. Freshman Macie Williams got second in the 800-meter run. The team of Dugan, Taylor, Abbi Baier and Sadavia Porter took first in the 4X100-meter race. The 4X200-meter team of Dugan, Taylor, Sheretta Hill and Porter won their race impressively, according to Coach Abron. Dugan and Porter fnished 1-2 in the 100-meter dash. Baier and Faith Hatley came in first and second in both the 110-meter hurdles and the 300-meter hurdles.
The Lady Cats and the Wildcats’ track teams will compete in their own Sulphur Springs Track Meet this Friday at the SSHS Track Complex.
Lady Cat Golf Continues Improvement
The Lady Cats’ golf team, playing without its’ top player, struggled in a tournament at Hide-A-Way Lake Golf Course in Lindale on Monday. Lady Cats Golf Coach Whitney Spigener said her team shot 448, good enough for seventh place out of thirteen teams. She said Morgan Landers was ill and could not play Monday.
Participating were Alissa Sotelo, Emma Lane, Charleigh Potts and Alyssa Underwood. Coach Spigener said Underwood shot about ten strokes better than her previous best and finished in 17th place. Coach Spigener said she had forgotten how hilly and sandy this particular course was and she added it took its toll.
The Lady Cats will play next at Garden Valley Golf Club in Lindale on March 9.
Game Day: Soccer, Softball
We have soccer and softball on this Tuesday game day. The Wildcats’ soccer team will be at home hosting Texas High at the SSHS Track Complex. There is a JV contest at 5:30 p.m. with the varsity game at around 7 p.m. The Wildcats need a win to help them get back into the playoff hunt. The Wildcats beat Texas High in Texarkana back on February 3. The Wildcats come in with 2 wins, 2 shootout losses and 4 outright losses in district play. They are 9-5-3 for the season. We’ll have Wildcats’ soccer for you Tuesday evening on KSST Radio at around 7 p.m. We will also videotape the game for replay on Channel 18 on Suddenlink Cable at a later date.
The Lady Cats’ soccer team is at Texas High this Tuesday evening. The JV game is at 5:30 p.m. The varsity plays at around 7:15 p.m. When the two teams played here on February 3, Texas High got a win. The Lady Cats are hoping for a different outcome this time around. The Lady Cats are 5-3 in district play. They are 10-6-2 for the season.
Finally the Lady Cats’ softball team has a rematch with McKinney at McKinney Tuesday evening. There will be a JV game at 4:30 p.m. with the varsity getting underway at around 6 p.m. The Lady Cats defeated McKinney during the Sulphur Springs Varsity Softball Tournament on February 18. The Lady Cats are 8-2 for the season.
Lamar Primary Students Celebrate 28 Days of Kindness
During the month of February Lamar Primary School has been practicing 28 days of kindness. The event ended Tuesday, February 28, as students and staff, joined by a number of parents, marched from the school to Celebration Plaza. Principal Rowena Johnson read a list of acts carried out by the students. Students were reminded to continue the acts of kindness.
Each child was carrying a red balloon which was released in celebration of the final day. Following the release, they marched back to the school. Sulphur Springs Police served to escort students during the entire march.
Sulphur Springs Pilot Club is Busy in 2017
Jane Goldsmith, a 12-year member of the Sulphur Springs Pilot Club, shared some news about Sulphur Springs Pilot Club’s 2017 projects during a recent interview on the Good Morning Show with Enola Gay on KSST Radio and Channel 18TV.
Just wrapping up is Hoop Dreams, a basketball camp for youngsters with brain-related disorders. This is the Pilot’s 10th year to host the series of games. In 2007, the project began with only 7 players and it has grown to 32 players this year. Members of the local Lions Club served as coaches, members of Teen Court served as buddies and SS Middle and High School cheerleaders served on spirit squads during the February games.
The Caregiver of the Year Award is an annual recognition given by the Pilot Club to an individual who donates their time and efforts for the welfare of another person suffering from a brain-related disease or injury. Recipients are selected from nominations received the public. The 2017 Caregiver of the Year is Christine Morris, who in 1999 brought her 95-year-old mother, Corrine Snow, home to live out her life near family and provided care until her mother’s death at the age of 112. Despite advancing age and her own growing health concerns, Christine unfailingly served her mother for 17 years as nurse, chef, housekeeper, beautician, shopper and driver. She also became personal secretary when her mother became Texas’ oldest citizen, always making it possible for her mother to be presentable to attend functions, meet people and be photographed and interviewed. At the time she passed away in 2016, Christine’s “patient” was the oldest person in Texas, the 45th oldest in the U.S. and on record as one of the oldest in the world. In the Pilot Club’s letter of nomination received from a great-granddaughter, Christine was described as “a hero”. The award was given during the Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce Banquet on February 16, 2017.
The annual Pilot Club fundraiser will be Spring Brunch on Saturday morning March 4, featuring Branson-style musician/Christian comedian Robert Burkhart. Tickets are $20 to attend the event at League Street Church of Christ Fellowship Hall from 10am til noon. Tickets can be purchased from any Pilot Club member or at the door. There will be a $500 door prize and other items.
Several other Pilot Club projects are planned during 2017. Pilot Club is an International organization with chapters all over the U.S. and in several countries. The local club has about 25 members currently and is seeking others. To find out about becoming a member or for information on club projects, you can contact Jane Goldsmith at 903-348-5099 or phone 903-243-0979.
8-Month Old Child’s Meth Level Higher Than Mother’s
Special Crimes Unit investigators assisted CPS agents with an investigation involving Courney Leigh Plunkett, 24 of Sulphur Springs and her 8-month old child that tested positive for methamphetamine. The child’s meth levels tested higher than Plunkett’s.
Plunkett was arrested at 5:21 p.m. Monday at her residence on CR 2316. She is in Hopkins County Jail charged with Injury to a Child with Intent. She is being held on a $50,000 bond.
Hopkins County EMS Replacing Unit; Transports Increasing
Hopkins County EMS will be replacing Medic 7, a 1998 truck, with a new unit following a vote of the Hopkins County Hospital District Board. The hospital district continues ownership of EMS services for Hopkins, Delta, and Franklin Counties. The new unit will cost $168,000.
EMS transports are increasing in the three county area. Currently those numbers are above target numbers expected by EMS personnel. January was the busiest month for calls for EMS. It was noted that EMS drivers are emphasizing the local hospital as a point of destination. It was noted that more Franklin County residents are choosing CHRISTUS Mother Francis over a hospital to the east of the county. Some continue to travel east due to specific physicians they have been using in the past.
Hopkins County EMS is also hitting response times. EMS response times in cities averages eight minutes 59 seconds. Locally those times are being met or exceeded. Rural response times have a standard of 20 minutes 59 seconds but Hopkins County EMS response times are averaging 15 minutes for rural areas. Currently there are 10 EMS workers working 24 hours every day. The shifts rotate every 24 hours.
Transport of prisoners for Texas Department of Criminal Justice and others is also a profitable service for local EMS. Transport of prisoners for TDCJ to their medical facility in Galveston pays $9.75 per mile. Using on-call personnel, the local EMS made 110 trips last year for facilities in Northeast Texas from Bonham to Texarkana. It was noted that a guard is present in the front seat and a guard in the back or a chase unit along with two medical personnel on each trip.
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Sulphur Bluff Golf Team Places Fourth, Brown Wins Tournament
Questions Regarding Indigent Care Asked During Hospital District Board Meeting
Who pays for indigent medical care for Hopkins County Jail inmates? That was the question presented to the Hopkins County Hospital District by Donna Wallace,Financial Officer with CHRISTUS Mother Francis Hospital. The question was asked during the district board meeting Monday night, February 27, 2017.
It was noted that close to $100,000 in medication cost is expended each year for prisoners and that a doctor makes weekly visits to the local jail. Now that the jail is larger and houses non-county inmates, the costs of medical care is increasing. Wallace stated that CHRISTUS may decide not to fund the county indigent programs.
Although no conversations have begun those conversations will begin soon, Wallace noted. She stated that meetings with the County Judge Robert Newsom and Sheriff Lewis Tatum will soon begin. The Hopkins County Hospital District is responsible for indigent care but with the increasing costs, indigent care must be residents of Hopkins County only.
She pointed out that if an inmate is not indigent, they are responsible to pay for their own care.
