Measles Outbreak Hits Close to Home
March 14, 2025 – Four confirmed cases of the measles have been reported by the Paris-Lamar County Health District. The instances of measles were in persons from 5-months-old to adult age.
The Paris-Lamar County Health District says the four people are unvaccinated against the measles and came to Lamar County from Gaines County in West Texas during their recent measles outbreak.
The Health District is actively investigating the cases with the help of the Texas Department of State Health Services. They are working to contact people who were potentially exposed to the measles and warned that more cases of the “highly contagious” disease may occur, especially among those who haven’t been vaccinated against it.
Officials say that symptoms of the measles include the following conditions:
- High fever
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Red, watery eyes
- And a rash, typically starting on the face and spreading downward 2 to 5 days after initial symptoms.
The health district says anyone exposed or experiencing symptoms should isolate themselves immediately and contact their healthcare provider to arrange testing in a safe manner.
Those infected can spread the disease four days before and four days after getting the measles rash.
The measles vaccine becomes 93% effective 10-14 days after the first dose, and offers full protection after second dose is given 4-6 weeks after first dose.
Governor Abbott Activates Additional State Emergency Response Resources For Extremely Critical Wildfire Danger
March 14, 2025 – Austin, Texas – Governor Greg Abbott today announced that he directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to activate additional state emergency response resources in anticipation of extremely critical wildfire danger expected across West Texas and ongoing elevated-to-critical fire weather conditions across most of the state into the weekend.
“The State of Texas continues to monitor the heightened wildfire threats that are impacting large portions of the state,” said Governor Abbott. “Due to the unpredictable nature of wildfires, I directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to ready additional emergency response resources to assist local communities with any wildfire outbreaks. With dry conditions, wind gusts, and low humidity increasing wildfire danger, Texans are encouraged to make an emergency plan, limit any activities that can cause a spark, and heed the guidance of local officials to keep yourself and your family safe.”
According to the Texas A&M Forest Service, dry surface fuels, very strong wind gusts, and low humidity will continue to support increased wildfire danger across nearly all of the state, with extremely critical wildfire danger expected in areas including the High Plains, South Plains, Permian Basin, Big Country, Texoma, Metroplex, and Hill Country. High winds could promote large wind-driven fires with high resistance to control.
The Texas A&M Forest Service is monitoring conditions for the potential of a Southern Plains Wildfire Outbreak tomorrow, a dangerous fire weather pattern that could develop under the current forecast. According to the National Weather Service, increased wildfire danger is expected to continue over the next several days.
The Wildland Fire Preparedness Level remains at Preparedness Level 3, indicating that wildfire activity is impacting several regions of the state as the result of drought, dry vegetation, or frequent fire weather events.
The Texas State Emergency Operations Center (SOC) remains activated at Level II (Escalated Response) as the state stands ready to support local officials’ response to wildfire danger. At the Governor’s direction, more than 750 state emergency responders and over 300 pieces of equipment have mobilized from more than 16 state agencies to support the state’s wildfire response across Texas.
The following state emergency response resources continue to remain ready to support local wildfire response operations, including:
• Texas A&M Forest Service (Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System): Local, state, and out of state firefighters and support personnel, fire engines, bulldozers, and motor graders; federally contracted firefighting aircraft, including large air tankers, single-engine air tankers for retardant drops, air attack platforms for surveillance and spotting, super scoopers for water drops, helicopters with firefighting capability, fire bosses and an aerial supervision module for aerial guidance
• Texas Division of Emergency Management: The State of Texas Incident Management Team to support deployed emergency response resources across the state
• Texas National Guard: Chinook and Blackhawk helicopters with firefighting capability
• Texas Department of State Health Services (Texas Emergency Medical Task Force): Wildland Fire Support Packages consisting of medics, ambulances, and all-terrain vehicles
• Texas Department of Public Safety: Texas Highway Patrol Troopers to patrol roadways and assist stranded motorists
• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: Game Wardens, State Park Police
• Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (Texas A&M Task Force 1 and Texas Task Force 2): Type 3 Urban Search and Rescue Teams
• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service: Disaster Assessment and Recovery Agents as well as AgriLife Extension Agents to support agricultural and livestock needs
• Texas Animal Health Commission: Coordinating animal resource needs
• Texas Department of Agriculture: Coordinating agricultural resource needs
• Texas Department of Transportation: Personnel monitoring road conditions
• Public Utility Commission of Texas: Power outage monitoring and coordination with utility providers
• Railroad Commission of Texas: Monitoring of the state’s natural gas supply and communication with the oil and gas industry
• Texas Commission on Environmental Quality: Air/water/wastewater monitoring
• Texas Health and Human Services Commission: Personnel to provide information on available services through the 2-1-1 Texas Information Referral Network
• Texas Department of Information Resources: Monitoring technology infrastructure
Texans are urged to implement wildfire prevention measures, including avoiding activities that may cause sparks or flames, making an emergency plan, follow instructions from local officials, and keeping emergency supplies easily available.
Texans can visit TexasReady.gov for wildfire prevention information, locate all-hazards preparedness information at tdem.texas.gov/prepare and find the latest wildfire information at tfsweb.tamu.edu.
Governor Abbott continues to take action to provide all available resources to help support local communities and protect Texans from wildfire impacts, including:
• Encouraging Texans impacted by wildfire to report damage by using TDEM’s online damage reporting tool.
• Increasing the Readiness Level of the State Emergency Operations Center and adding counties to the state’s wildfire disaster declaration.
• Deploying additional state emergency response resources ahead of extremely critical wildfire danger.
• Activating state wildfire response resources ahead of wildfire danger.
CHRISTUS Health: Importance of Pulmonary Rehab for Lung Patients
March 13, 2025 – (SULPHUR SPRINGS, Texas) – CHRISTUS Health is championing the importance of rehabilitation programs for lung patients in recognition of Pulmonary Rehabilitation Week.
Initiated by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation, Pulmonary Rehabilitation Week aims to educate the community about the role of pulmonary rehabilitation in enhancing the quality of life of individuals with chronic lung disease.
Medical research has shown that more than 90% of lung disease patients who undergo pulmonary rehabilitation spend fewer days in the hospital.
“Pulmonary rehab, we believe, is a necessary addition to the management of many respiratory diseases,” said Chassity Hall, a respiratory therapist with CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs. “Pulmonary rehabilitation has been proven to improve an individual’s ability to take care of themselves, improve their health and improve their overall quality of life.”
Hall and Sara Batchell, both respiratory therapists at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs, say most programs see patients two to three times a week.
Ninety-two-year-old Sue Beck is one of those patients.
“Working out not only changes more than your body, it changes your habits and you gain confidence,” she said. “You gain a better mental outlook, and it will really change your life. It has changed mine.”
Placement in the program is on a referral basis through a primary care provider or pulmonologist cardiologist and each patient is given a pulmonary function test prior to entering the program. This test often includes an exercise stress test, breathing test and walking test.
“We recognize that every patient is different, so each program and intensity level is different,” Batchell said. “That said, we know that rehab is beneficial for everyone, not just for their short term recovery, but in building habits and routines that can benefit them long-term.”
Patients also receive education on at-home exercises, breathing exercises, proper use of medicines and inhalers, nutrition, and stress reduction techniques.
“If you have had any sort of pulmonary procedure done, we highly encourage you to talk with your doctor right away to see if rehab is right for you,” Hall said. “We know it is not always fun or easy, but we know the benefits are worth it.”
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The Next Hopkins County Genealogical Society Monthly Meeting to be Held March 20th
March 13, 2025 – Join us in-person, if you can, by Zoom, if you can’t make it!
Thursday, March 20, 2025 @ 7:00 p.m. @ 611 N. Davis St., Sulphur Springs Tx– Emily Richardson
Emily is a professional genealogist and lecturer living in Denton, Texas. She began her genealogy research working with her mother in courthouses and cemeteries finding records for her ancestors in Ohio and Pennsylvania. She is the president of the Texas State Genealogical Society (TxSGS) for a two year term that began on January 1, 2025. Emily’s topic will be:
Collateral Research: Using 9 nine) children and DNA to Develop the story.
To achieve thorough genealogical research, one must take the time to research individuals who are not direct ancestors but are related to your primary research subject, collateral relatives. These could include aunts, uncles, and cousins, as well as siblings of your grandparents, great grandparents, etc. The time you spend researching these individuals may help you to gain a broader context for understanding family dynamics as well as fill in missing pieces of your research.
You are invited to a Zoom meeting.
When: Mar 20, 2025 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Register in advance for this meeting:
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Dinner Bell for March 19, 2025
DINNER BELL, First United Methodist Church
SPONSOR: Summit Dental
The doors to Fellowship Hall at First United Methodist Church will open at 11:00 a.m. Meal service begins at 11:30 a.m. and doors will close at 12:45 p.m. Please come join us to share fellowship and a meal.
Summit Dental, located at 422 Oak Avenue, offers both preventative and restorative care for adults and children. A dental team led by Dr. Matthew Johnson, DDS and Dr. Tyler Robinson, DMD take continuing education seriously and are up-to date on dental technology and techniques that produce amazing results. Invisalign, an alternate to traditional braces, is also available.
This full service dental practice has office hours from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday; and 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Friday. Payment plans are also available.
Whatever is needed: from a routine cleaning to a completely new, beautiful and healthy smile, the team at Summit Dental has the expertise and technology to give splendid results.
Dinner Bell appreciates the support of Summit Dental as a Community Partner.
We plan to continue inside dining every Wednesday with the exception of the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day.
MENU:
- Hamburger Steak with Brown Onion Gravy
- Mashed Potatoes
- Squash and Corn Casserole
- Garden Salad
- Pineapple Upside Down Cake (out of the box baking)
The Dinner Bell Ministry
First United Methodist Church
Take care of YOURSELF by following safe health practices as flu and COVID are lurking in our midst! Wear masks where required! Wash your hands often! Get inoculated and boosted
DINNER BELL CARES ABOUT YOUR HEALTH !!!
National Weather Service Issues Red Flag Warning for Hopkins and Surrounding Counties
March 13, 2025 – The National Weather Service of Ft. Worth has issued a Red Flag Warning for Montague, Cooke, Grayson, Fannin, Lamar, Young, Jack, Wise, Denton, Collin, Hunt, Delta, Hopkins, Stephens, Palo Pinto, Parker, Tarrant, Dallas, Rockwall, Kaufman, Van Zandt, Rains, Eastland, Erath, Hood, Somervell, Johnson, Ellis, Henderson, Comanche, Mills, Hamilton, Bosque, Hill, Navarro, Freestone, and Anderson counties in effect from 11:00am to 9:00pm Friday, March 14, 2025. The Warning has been issued because conditions such as very strong winds gusts up to 65 mph and very low relative humidity values make for very hazardous fire dangers! Impacts could include … Rapid spread of wildfires due to very strong southwesterly winds and low relative humidity values. A Red Flag Warning means that extreme fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and dry vegetation can contribute to extreme fire behavior. Avoid all outside burning and welding today. Do not toss lit cigarette butts outside. Report wild fires to the nearest fire department or law enforcement office.
The National Weather Service of Ft. Worth has also issue a Wind Advisory for Eastern North Texas and portions of Central Texas for Friday, March 14, 2025, from 7:00am to 7:00pm. We are expecting Southwest winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph.
Stay tuned for further updates…
Lawsuit Claims Girl Scout Cookies Contain Toxic Chemicals
March 13, 2025 – The Girl Scouts of the USA are facing a lawsuit after a viral study claimed that their popular cookies contain toxic contaminants, including heavy metals and the herbicide glyphosate. The lawsuit, filed by consumer advocacy groups, alleges that the organization misled customers by failing to disclose the presence of potentially harmful substances in their cookies. The controversy erupted after independent lab testing reportedly found traces of heavy metals such as lead and cadmium, along with glyphosate, a widely used weed killer that has been linked to health risks.
The lawsuit argues that these contaminants pose potential health concerns, particularly for children, who are the primary consumers of Girl Scout cookies. While the levels of these substances in the cookies have not been deemed immediately dangerous, consumer groups claim that long-term exposure could be harmful.
In response, the Girl Scouts and their cookie manufacturers have defended their products, stating that they meet all federal safety regulations and undergo rigorous testing. However, the lawsuit has sparked concerns among parents and consumers, prompting calls for greater transparency in ingredient sourcing and testing. As the legal battle unfolds, it could have lasting effects on the iconic cookie brand and the future of its fundraising efforts.
Murray Awaits Bond to Be Set in Shooting Incident
March 13, 2025 – Sulphur Springs police were dispatched at about 3pm Wednesday afternoon, March 12, 2025 to a report of shots fired at the Spring Valley Apartments and were told that a man had been shot in the leg. Officers located the victim and administered aid and began to gather information about the incident. Witnesses identified the shooter as 51-year-old Turon Jenard Murray, who had reportedly left the scene in his girlfriend’s car. Murray was located on Beckham Street and arrested for 2nd degree felony Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon and 3rd degree felony Possession of a Firearm by a felon. The condition of the victim is not known. Murray remains in the Hopkins County Jail awaiting bond to be set in the matter.
Sulphur Springs City Wide Spring Clean Up 2025 is April 28th Through May 3rd
February 11, 2025 – The Sulphur Springs City-wide Spring Clean Up 2025 event is scheduled to take place April 28, 2025 through May, 3, 2025. One must show a valid driver’s license, or a water bill, as proof of city residency. Certain trash such as tires, hazardous waste, anything containing refrigerant, and wet paint, will not be accepted. The dumpsite location is a half a mile East of the four way stop at Jefferson Street and Loop 301. Happy cleaning!
2025 Crawfish Season Outlook
March 12, 2025 – The 2025 crawfish season in Louisiana and Texas is shaping up to be a strong one, offering relief to farmers and seafood lovers after the drought-stricken 2024 season. Crawfish farmers are optimistic about improved yields, thanks to better water conditions and more favorable weather patterns. The drought in 2024 led to lower crawfish populations and higher prices, making it a difficult year for both producers and consumers.
The annual Claws for a Cause Crawfish Boil, sponsored by the Sulphur Springs Rotary Club, will be held April 26.
With water levels returning to normal and temperatures warming, experts predict a more abundant harvest, which could lead to lower prices and a more accessible supply across restaurants, seafood markets, and backyard boils. Louisiana, the heart of the crawfish industry, is expected to see particularly strong yields, with Texas also benefiting from improved conditions.
Farmers and seafood vendors are preparing for increased demand, as a plentiful season often brings larger crawfish and better quality. Many in the industry are hopeful that this rebound will help compensate for last year’s struggles, providing both economic benefits and an opportunity for more people to enjoy this beloved regional delicacy. As the season progresses, consumers can look forward to fresh, affordable crawfish on their plates, making 2025 a much-anticipated year for crawfish enthusiasts.
