City Manager’s Report: Bill Bradford Road Closed Again, Locust Street Rework Underway
Tuesday evening Sulphur Springs City Manager Marc Maxwell told the City Council in regular session that Bill Bradford Road is closed again, now that the holiday season is over. Opening the road did benefit businesses along the roadway but slowed the pace of construction. Since the holiday season has ended and the road is closed, the pace of progress on the roadway should pick up once again.
He also noted to the council that the Davis/Tomlinson Parking area has been completed.
The Capital Construction Division is about 50% done replacing the water main from Bellview Street to the KCS railroad tracks on Locust Street. The sewer main has already been replaced. We recently hired a contractor to bore under the railroad for water and sewer improvements, and we expect that to happen this month. Atmos is currently replacing the gas main.
Also in his report:
CLAIMS – We did not have any workers’ compensation claims or liability claims in December.
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT – Total suspended solids (TSS) came in at 3.14 mg/L, well within the limit of 15 mg/L.
REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES – Finance Director Peter Karstens will not present a year-to-date summary of revenues and expenditures this month since this is the first workday of the month and we don’t have any numbers to share yet.
Elsewhere around the city, employees:
- Sold 980 gallons of AvGas and 6,000 gallons of JetA fuel.
- Checked out 2,243 items from the library.
- Responded to 142 fire/rescue calls including 3 structure fires.
- Performed preventative maintenance on 84 fire hydrants.
- Replaced 14 street signs.
- Responded to 136 animal control calls, achieving an adoption rate of 34%.
- Made 2 arrests in the special crimes unit.
- Recorded 68 offences, made 51 arrests, wrote 568 citations and responded to 39 accidents.
- Performed preventative maintenance/repairs on several items at the water treatment plant and wastewater treatment plant.
- Repaired 16 water main ruptures.
- Replaced 10 water meters.
- Unstopped 38 sewer mains.
- Repaired 13 sewer mains.
- Washed 75,000 feet of sewer mains.
- Smoke-tested 3 segments of sewer mains.
- Flushed 36 dead-end water mains.
- Inspected water towers and clear wells.
- Replaced motors on #2, #3, and #5 Lake Sulphur Springs water pumps.
- Continued to pump from Lake Sulphur Springs rather than Cooper Lake while divers clean out the intake structure.
- Conducted 22 building inspections, 12 electrical inspections, 20 plumbing inspections and issued 14 building permits.
- Patched 157 potholes.
- Replaced 3 stop signs.
- Held Christmas festivities on Celebration Plaza.
Wildcats Hold Mavericks to 18 in First Three Quarters to Earn Second District Win
Wildcats 72, Marshall 40
The Wildcats’ basketball team used a productive offense and a stingy defense to overwhelm Marshall, 72-40 in a district game at Wildcats Gym Tuesday night.
The Wildcats held the Mavericks to just 18 points after three quarters of play. Post Victor Iwuakor was especially feisty with 8 blocks.
The Wildcats were led on offense by four double figure scorers: Keaston Willis with 17 points, Iwuakor with 15 points including one dunk, Ke’Ontae Dunn with 12 points and Michael Jefferson with 11 points. Ryan Humphries chipped in 7 points. The Wildcats had 6 three pointers.
The Wildcats led 19-4 after the first quarter, 33-10 at halftime and 59-18 after three quarters. Kris Dunn had 15 points and Corteze Hurd 14 points for Marshall. The Wildcats are now 2-0 in district play and 17-4 for the season. Marshall slips to 0-2 in district play and 11-8 overall.
The Wildcats will travel to Texas High Friday night for a district game.
Lady Cats Dominate Marshall 85-12
Lady Cats 85, Marshall 12
The Lady Cats’ basketball team mixed an explosion of offense with strong defense to take a lopsided 85-12 win at Marshall in a district game Tuesday night. Kaylee Jefferson scored 23 points to lead the Lady Cats. The victory improved the Lady Cats’ district record to 4-0. They are now 18-3 for the season. The Lady Cats were ranked #24 in the state in Class 5A in the latest poll from the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches. The Lady Cats will play Texas High in Wildcats Gym Friday night.
Game Day: Basketball and Soccer
Wildcats Basketball
Wildcats Basketball Coach Clark Cipoletta believes playing tough teams, like his team did in a Longview tournament last week, will pay dividends in the future. The Wildcats lost to Pro Vision of Houston and Houston Sam Houston, teams Coach Cipoletta says are two of the top ones in Texas and in the nation. Sam Houston is the #1 team in Class 6A in the state. The Wildcats also lost a game to Dallas Skyline, #2 in Class 6A, in a Royse City tournament. Coach Cipoletta says those types of games will make the Wildcats better and give them confidence moving forward letting them know that if they play their style of game with confidence, they can compete with anyone in the state. The Wildcats may need that confidence as they face defending district champion Marshall in Wildcats Gym Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. Coach Cipoletta says Marshall is like they always are, athletic and pressing all over the court. He says they are hard to prepare for. Coach Cipoletta says if they sense a weakness they will trap you. He says if players don’t come toward passes, especially lofted passes, Marshall will intercept them. Coach Cipoletta says his past teams have been able to stay with Marshall for a quarter or two. He says this year’s team is more capable to putting four quarters together for a win against the Mavericks. Coach Cipoletta says the Wildcats have had two straight excellent practices. The Wildcats season record is 16-4 after a 2-2 showing in a Longview tournament last week. We will bring you the varsity Marshall and Wildcats game on KSST Radio starting at around 7:30 p.m. We will also videotape the game for replay on Channel 18 TV on Suddenlink Cable at a later date.
Lady Cats Basketball
Lady Cats’ basketball resumes district play at Marshall Tuesday night. There will be a freshman game at 5 p.m., a JV game at around 6:15 p.m. and the varsity game at around 7:30 p.m. The Lady Cats ended 2016 on a positive note as they captured first place in an Idabel, Oklahoma tournament last week. They went 3-0 in the tournament and improved their season record to 17-3. During December, the Lady Cats went 3-0 in district play winning on the road at Greenville and at home against Hallsville and Pine Tree.
Soccer Game Day
Both the Wildcats and Lady Cats’ soccer teams will be having final tune up scrimmages Tuesday night to get ready for the regular season that gets underway in tournament games Thursday.
The Lady Cats will scrimmage old rival North Lamar at the SSHS High School Track Complex Soccer Field Tuesday night. The freshman Lady Cats play the Pantherettes at 5:30 p.m. and the varsity scrimmages North Lamar at around 7:15 p.m. It is the fourth scrimmage for the Lady Cats. They open the regular season Thursday in a Terrell tournament against South Garland and Hillcrest.
The Wildcats wrap up their scrimmage portion of the season at Royse City Tuesday night. The Wildcats JV takes on the Bulldogs at 5:30 p.m. with the varsity to follow at around 7 p.m. The Wildcats only other scrimmage was Saturday night’s Alumni Scrimmage. The Wildcats open the regular season Thursday in a Forney tournament against Garland Lakeview Centennial and Richardson J.J. Pearce.
Winnsboro Police Report December 26,2016 – January 1, 2017
From December 26, 2016 to January 1, 2017, one arrest, no accidents, 201 calls for service and 42 citations and 70 warnings issued provided report writer’s cramp for Winnsboro Police Department during the seven day period following Christmas.
On December 28, Winnsboro police arrested Timbre Reid, 28, of Winnsboro on a Smith County warrant.
Bank Reception Honors A & M-Commerce President Dr. Ray Keck
Guaranty Bank & Trust is hosting a reception for Dr. Ray Keck on Monday, January, 9, 2017 from noon-1pm. This is a unique opportunity for the community to meet the new President of A&M Commerce and hear his vision for the university.
Dr. Keck along with Dr. Lavelle Hendricks, Assistant Professor of Psychology Counseling in Special Education will be guests on KSST Morning Show with Enola Gay on Jan 9 at 8:15 am prior to the reception.
Arrest of Pair in Saddle Theft Declares Tatum’s Intent to Maintain Clearance Rate
Hopkins County Sheriff Lewis Tatum has been the Chief Criminal Investigator for the Sheriff’s Department for several years. He told KSST News that his goal as Sheriff was to maintain his closure rate for criminal cases at the high level he and investigators have achieved in the past. Tuesday morning, he is well on his way to maintaining the level.
Tatum reported the recovery of 10 stolen saddles. The saddles were stolen in Hopkins County, the City of Sulphur Springs, Yantis, Cooksville, and near Buffalo, Texas. Based on previous experience with stolen saddles in the area, Tatum along with Bo Fox with the Sulphur Springs Police Department, and Tony Hurley, Special Ranger with the Southwest Cattlemen’s Association, began their search for a suspect that now lives in the Lubbock area.
Monday, the woman and a male companion were stopped in that area. In their possession at that time were the 10 stolen saddles. Jamie Shobert and Jeffrey Wayne Horton of Mineola were arrested and warrants have been issued locally. At the time of their arrest, the pair was attempting to sell the saddles.
Tatum said the saddles are expensive and a vital tool in the life of those who lost them. The saddles were stolen from residences and some were stolen at a cutting-horse show at the Equine Center at the Civic Center. The saddles will be returned Wednesday when the two are returned to Hopkins County.
Second Arrest In Same Area in Less Than 30 Days
January, 2017
Tuesday morning a traffic violation stop in the 1200 block of South Hillcrest led to the arrest of Alicia Anne Blunt, 32, and Evertt Lloyd Brown, Jr., 43. During the traffic stop the pair gave consent to a search of the vehicle. In the center console of the vehicle was found a cigarette box containing two baggies of a crystal-like substance believed to be methamphetamine and syringes.
December, 2016
This is the second arrest for Blunt in less than a month for the same charge and in the same area. On December 5, 2016, at a local truck stop on Hillcrest, she was sitting in a pickup truck and moving her jaw uncontrollably with sores on her face. That attracted attention to a possible need. Local law enforcement responded. Noting a green pouch and what appeared to be a syringe in the driver’s seat, the officer sought consent to search the vehicle. She told the officer that she used the syringe to shoot up methamphetamine. In his search he found two syringes in the green pouch along with a clear baggie of crystal like substance believed to be methamphetamine.
Blunt of Wolfe City was arrested at that time and placed in Hopkins County Jail charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 less than 1-gram.
Sulphur Bluff Store New Owners Plan Jan. 7 Event
The old Sulphur Bluff Store has re-opened with a new name, “Bear Country Store”, and with new owners, Billy Emerson and Brad Cecil. The store is located on FM 71 East in the heart of Sulphur Bluff near the school and post office. It will cater to residents, school personnel and others with breakfast and lunch, gas and diesel, groceries and a friendly place to have a cup of coffee or soft drink and catch up on the latest happenings. Hours will be 7 am til 5 pm Monday through Saturday, closed on Sunday. To celebrate the opening, everyone is invited on Saturday January 7, 2017 at noon for a CD Release event by young musician, Jack Phillips. Eleven-year-old Jack is a Sulphur Bluff resident, the son of Mark and Allison Phillips and is a sixth-grader at the Sulphur Bluff School. He is also a fiddler, performing locally and around the state with Western Swing and country bands. You can meet Jack and get an autographed copy of “Jack Phillips” along with a BBQ lunch at 12 noon on Saturday January 7, 2017 at the Bear Country Store.
