North Hopkins Beta Club News
The North Hopkins Beta Club ended the 2016 semester with 60 member students and a blockbuster canned food drive for Hope House. At over 2,780 pounds, theirs was the largest single donation toward the Delta County charity. New projects for 2017 include a recycling project, a coat drive and a club fundraiser. Members will do morning coffee sales, fruit sales and online cake auctions to raise money for State Convention coming up February 24-26 in Frisco, Texas where Club President Mattie Hall will run for Texas State Vice President.
Senior Betas blocked the door to their Government teacher’s class to demonstrate the size of the food donation in the Block the Door Initiative Pictured are: Colton Ross, Aaron Stanley, Melissa Wischerman, Carli Withrow, Christian Matlock, Hollie Stidham, Allyiah French, Kaylynn Allen, Mary Brown and Mattie Hall.
Mrs. Brandenburg’s second-grade class assisted in the Beta Club drive.
Car Driver Casts Drug Paraphernalia Under Deputies Truck
A man and woman from Arkansas were arrested early Monday morning in Hopkins County on drug related charges. Sheriff’s Deputy Sgt. Michael Russell stopped the driver of a Ford Mustang for a traffic violation at around 2:15 a.m. Monday at the 135 mile marker of eastbound I-30. An arrest report indicated Sgt. Russell detected the smell of marijuana coming from inside the car. During a search, a passenger in the car was found to have 14 amphetamine and dextroamphetamine pills inside a coin purse in her purse. The pills were weighed at 3.13 grams. Later the deputy found a pouch under his truck. It contained a spoon, a cotton ball and a vile. The car driver admitted tossing the pouch under the truck while the deputy was talking with the girl.
25-year old Slade Alan Yarbrough of Bismarck, Arkansas was charged with tampering with evidence. JP Brad Cummings set bond for Yarbrough at $30,000.
33, year old Linnea Colynn Brown of Hot Springs, Arkansas was charged with possession of a controlled substance over 1 gram but less than 4 grams. JP Cummings set bond for Brown at $20,000.
Bear Country Store Holds CD Release Event
The old Sulphur Bluff store has a new name, Bear Country Store. On it’s first Saturday of operation, owners Billy Emerson and Brad Cecil and employees held a CD release event for Jack Phillips. It was standing-room-only!Almost everyone ordered something for lunch, so the short-order crew stayed busy with burgers, fries, BBQ sandwiches and pots of coffee. Area residents and the school community are excited about having the store back in operation again.
Friends and supporters of Jack’s fiddling career came from far and near.
El Vaquero in Sulphur Springs
I finally did it, I got some El Vaquero today. It’s not that I was scared, but I was never sure how the process worked. Do you park and walk up? Do you order then wait for someone to bring it out? Is there a place to go in and order? Do they take credit cards? I didn’t want to look like an idiot… Gentle readers, gather around the dim flicker of your screen and I will give you the details….
Here’s how it works. Pull in and drive up to the window on the North side. Order from your car. I would go for the Vaquero Plate. Yes onions, yes cilantro. Leave substitutions to a later visit, let the restaurant give you their spin on the food. Then make a wide circle depending on how nimble your vehicle is, and drive up to the windows on the South side. A few minutes later, and a credit card swipe on a tablet, I was on my way.
What can I say, the tacos were great. I immediately wanted more. The meal was neatly wrapped, and included napkins and a sachet of sauce (which I tasted, but didn’t use because the food didn’t need it). Now that I have broken the ice so to speak, we will be back.
Into the Fire Once Again
TxDOT 
crews respond early Monday morning to the recently ‘removed’ No Left Turn sign at the intersection of I-30 and Highway 19. Recent changes to the interchange have confused some drivers. Static signs, and portable illuminated signs have proved ineffective at smoothing the flow of traffic. The navigation app WAZE has been updated with the new information. Other GPS devices will be slower at adopting the new data.
Always follow local signage when in doubt.
Mystery ‘Taco’ Restaurant Coming to the South Broadway Strip
The currently vacant lot between the much anticipated Starbucks, and Domino’s Pizza has found purpose. With other additions like Dairy Queen, the South Broadway ‘Strip’ is filling fast.
At peak traffic times congestion can be trying to people traversing I-30 at Broadway. Some residents are concerned about even more traffic coming to the intersection of Broadway and the I-30 Service Roads.
All that can be confirmed at this time is that ‘Taco’ will be in the name. Speculation on the exact version of tacos is growing.
[poll id=”48″]
New ‘No Left Turn’ Sign Taken Out
A vehicle and its driver took exception to the newly installed No Left Turn Sign positioned at I-30 and Highway 19. The south bound driver decided to turn left across traffic, mowing down the signpole. This maneuver was possible months ago, but now the left turn signal is covered, and the left turn lane eliminated. The driver fled the scene. A picture of the damaged vehicle including the front licence plate was taken and submitted to SSPD. An eye witness account was also submitted. The witness also removed the metal post, sign and hardware from the road way.
None of images or videos in this article show the driver or the vehicle.
The sign was replaced Monday January 9th, 2017
This intersection was recently reworked to improve traffic flow. And from that point of view it has worked. However, drivers continue to disregard the lighted and unlighted signs directing traffic flow. Heavy and light vehicles, local and interstate alike have difficulty obeying the new setup. Some feel old GPS maps may also contribute to the chaos.
Travelers should be ready for anything, and should never assume others will follow the rules.
Gambling Raid in County Nets Three Arrests; Investigation Continues
When Hopkins County Sheriff’s Investigators and Deputies served a warrant for gambling at 1 a.m. Saturday morning at the former Country Boys Gas Station located on Highway 11 E at FM 3019 near Winnsboro, they found 15 to 20 individuals participating in playing computer based programs on slot machines adapted for the programs, according to Corley Weatherford, Investigator for the Sheriff’s Office.
Reports had been given to the local Sheriff’s office that the building was used for gambling. Undercover officers had been utilized to enter the building and had participated in the gambling endeavors. Based on their findings, the warrant was issued. The investigation continues with gambling, money laundering, and engaging in organized criminal activity as the focus.
Weatherford stated the location is no longer a store. He said the building had been turned into one large gambling room with 30 different stations where winners were paid in cash. All the gambling equipment, paraphernalia, and money were seized in the raid.
Three individuals present were also arrested for possession of a controlled substance.
Brian Cory Rodgers, 32, was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 more than 1-gram, less than 4-grams and with Unlawful Possession of a weapon.
Andre Deon Wells, 34, was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 more than 1-gram, less than 4-grams.
Coy Wayne Wells, 51, was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 more than 1-gram, less than 4-grams
The three are in Hopkins County Jail. Weatherford stated that gambling brings crime to the area and that is why the Sheriff’s Office is working to keep gambling out of Hopkins County. He stated gambling attracts drugs, robbery, prostitution, and a number of other crimes to an area.
Franklin County Man Who Shaved Sons’ Hair Sentenced
Daniel Arnold was sentenced to 10 years in the TDCJ for each of three counts of Tampering with Physical Evidence in Franklin County Eighth Judicial Court Friday. The sentences will run concurrently.
Arnold, 33, of Mount Vernon, was tried by a Franklin County jury on December 12 and 13 for three counts of Tampering with Physical Evidence. He was found guilty by the jury in 35 minutes. He had previous convictions for methamphetamine and was on probation for assaulting the mother of the children.
In November of 2015, CPS investigators became aware of allegations that the Defendant may have exposed his children to methamphetamine. The Defendant’s sons were one year old and three years old at the time. A CPS investigator asked the Defendant for a sample of his hair to test for the presence of drugs. The Defendant refused to consent to the hair test, and CPS decided that they lacked sufficient evidence to obtain a court order. Therefore, the CPS case was closed. Within weeks, the Defendant then shaved himself bald and also shaved the one year old and the three year old.
Two weeks later, a new CPS investigation began based on additional allegations that the mother of the children may have exposed them to methamphetamine. Because the children were living with the Defendant at the time of the new investigation, CPS workers asked the Defendant for consent to test the hair of the children. When the Defendant refused, CPS succeeded in obtaining a court order from District Judge Will Biard. However, within a week of being ordered to provide the hair samples by the Judge, the Defendant shaved his entire body from head to toe. He also cut the hair of both children. It was based on these acts that the Defendant was indicted for three felony counts of Tampering With Physical Evidence. There were three charges because he tampered with the hair of three people: the one year old, the three year old, and himself.
