Raza, Reeder, Wallace Sentenced Tuesday
Three individuals were sentenced in Eighth Judicial District Court Tuesday afternoon, December 6, 2016.
Mohammad Shabeeh Raza, who was found guilty November 16, 2016, of online solicitation of a minor pled guilty Tuesday as he began the process for a second trial. The second trial was necessitated by an incorrect admonition given the defendant by his attorney. Instead of facing a second trial, Raza pled guilty and received 10 years in prison, probated for 5 years, a $1,000 fine, and confinement in Hopkins County Jail for 30-days as a condition of probation. He is now a convicted felon. Once his five years of supervision is concluded, he will be required to register as a sex offender for the following 10 years.
Raza, who at the time of his arrest in December 2015 was a systems engineer living in Kansas City, Missouri but has family in Plano, was admonished by his defense attorney that the charge was a third degree felony and that he faced up to 10 years in prison for the charge. As Judge Eddie Northcutt began the sentencing plan, it was found that under statue his action qualified as a second degree felony and not a third degree felony requiring a more lengthy prison stay. That raised the question would he have taken a plea agreement instead of trial? Raza had been texting who he thought was a 15-year old female. Instead Raza, arrived at a local convenience store on a December Sunday following a holiday stop with friends in the Dallas area and had just finished shaving in the store restroom when he exited the restroom and was taken into custody by Sulphur Springs and Hopkins County law enforcement.
Patrick Lee Wallace, 49, was sentenced to three years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice following a trial before the court for Driving While Intoxicated 3rd or More, a Felony 3. Wallace offense dates back to November, 2012. He recently violated probation.
Jonathan James Reeder pled guilty to Arson, a Felony 2, and was sentenced to four years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Reeder’s first arson offense dates back to December, 2013.
Lions Club Names Winning Entries in Lighted Christmas Parade
Over 50 entries in the Lions Club Lighted Christmas Parade completed for top honors Friday night. During the Lions Club meeting Tuesday, December 6, 2016, John Campbell announced the winning floats.
Large Business Division winner:
Carriage House Manor
Small Business Division Winners:
1) Don Lalo’s Mexican Restaurant
2) Century 21 First Group
3) Sulphur Springs Fix and Feed
Non-Profit Division
1) Trinity Harvest Church of God
2) Hopkins County Dairy Festival
3) Central Baptist Church
Mayor’s Choice Award went to Brandon Brewer and Chad Rawson
Winnsboro Police Arrest Seven in Seven Day Period, November 28-December 4, 2016
Winnsboro Police made seven arrests, investigated one accident, responded to 128 calls for service, and issues 27 citations and 30 warnings during the seven day report period from November 28, 2016 – December 4, 2016.
Arrested were:
Brandon Webb, 27, of Winnsboro for public intoxication on Monday, November 28.
Tori Johnson, 26, of Winnsboro on a Wood County warrant, Tuesday, November 29.
Marcus Kesseler, 28, of Sanger for driving while license invalid with a previous conviction on Thursday, December 1.
Stephen Thorp, 35, of Winnsboro on a Walker County warrant on Thursday, December 1.
Anwar Singleton, 38, of Winnsboro on a City of Winnsboro Municipal warrant on Thursday December 1.
Jeremy Davis, 27, of Mt Pleasant for evading arrest, Friday, December 2.
On Friday at 7:36 a.m. in the 100 block of W. Coke, a northbound vehicle stopped at the stop sign on South Mill. The second vehicle was eastbound in the turn lane to turn north on South Mill. The first vehicle turned west onto West Coke and failed to yield right of way to the second vehicle. Thus, the first vehicle struck the second vehicle as it was turning south onto South Mill.
Solicitation of Funds for Local Sports Program Identified
Sulphur Springs Athletic Director Greg Owens wants local businesses to know that a group is soliciting merchants’ money to sponsor an ad on a baseball poster that does not support our students of benefit SSISD in any way.The group is identified as Elite Designs Advertising Sales.
Wildcats Baseball Coach Jerrod Hammack said he didn’t know anything about the poster. Coach Owens says if someone wants to support our students, they should contact him at the High School. He adds most of the time a school person will contact a business to ask for their support. Athletes sell Wildcat Cards that benefit their sports team. Football coaches solicit ads for a football poster. Softball and baseball coaches sell advertising signs for stadium fences. The tennis coach sells signs for fences as the tennis complex. Basketball coaches sell signage for the SSHS Gym. Cheerleaders sell ads for football programs. Cheerleader sponsors also accept, shirts, balls and other items for use at sporting events.
Again to local businesses, the current baseball poster solicitation does not support SSISD or its students.
Game Day: Wildcats Host North Lamar
Fresh off of a third place finish in a Royse City tournament, the Wildcats’ basketball team will return to their home court Tuesday evening as they host North Lamar.
The Wildcats won three of four games at Royse City and they are now 7-1 for the season. The Wildcats defeated Anna and Lufkin in pool play. They lost their first game of the season against a powerful Dallas Skyline team that is state ranked in Class 6A. The Wildcats ended the tournament with a win over Royse City to take third place.
The Freshmen Wildcats play North Lamar at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. A JV contest will follow at around 5:45 p.m. The varsity game should start at around 7 p.m.
We will bring you the varsity game on KSST Radio at around 7 p.m. as the Wildcats take on the North Lamar Panthers. We will also videotape the game for replay at the later date on Channel 18 TV on Suddenlink Cable.
City Council Agenda for Tuesday, December 6th
The regular meeting of the Sulphur Springs City Council will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 6, 2016 in the Council Room at 201 North Davis.
The following items will be discussed:
1. Pledge of Allegiance to the United States Flag, Texas Flag, and invocation.
2. Presentations, proclamations, and announcements. Police Department presentation
3. Manager’s report will include status report of capital improvements, departmental operations, accidents and claims for the month, and a review of expenditures and revenues.
4. Discussion/action on Consent Agenda.
5. Discussion/action on first reading of Ordinance No. 2694, a request to rezone property located at the Municipal Airport.
6. Discussion/action on first reading of Ordinance No. 2695, an ordinance providing for the Oncor Franchise Agreement with the City of Sulphur Springs, Texas.
7. Discussion/action on first reading of Ordinance No. 2696, Oncor undergrounding, notice of intent for Tomlinson Street.
8. Discussion/action on first reading of Ordinance No. 2697, an ordinance authorizing the execution of that certain special warranty deed conveying certain property of the City of Sulphur Springs, Texas, to Bernard B. Beers.
9. Discussion/action on first reading of Ordinance No. 2698, an ordinance authorizing the execution of that certain special warranty deed conveying certain property of the City of Sulphur Springs, Texas, to Clay Price.
10. Discussion/action on bids and award of contract for patrol vehicles.
11. Discussion/action on bids and award of contract for the 2016/2017 street improvement program.
12. Discussion/action on bids and award of contract for Bill Bradford Road Phase VI for concrete paving.
13. Discussion/action on sublease agreement with the Economic Development Corporation for lease/purchase of 100’ x 100’ hangar.
14. Discussion/action on rental policy for the City Council Chambers and the Conference Room.
15. Visitors and Public Forum.
16. Adjourn.
SSISD Education Foundation Grants Awarded Tuesday
Over $20,000 in funded Grants for Great Ideas were distributed Tuesday by the Sulphur Springs ISD Education Foundation. Foundations members Ryan McKenzie, Don Sapaugh, Miki Eddins, John Campbell, and Gena Prickette accompanied by SSISD Human Resource and Communication Director Rusty Hardin and Superintendent Mike Lamb made surprise visits to various campuses in the school district.
This is the second year the foundation has presented grants for creative and innovate concepts that are teacher driven.
Grants were presented to:
- Shelby Gibson, Travis School Librarian, for a reading project targeting bi-lingual students. She received $3,000.
- Mary Jenkins, Sulphur Springs High School counselor, for “Canine Counselors” a project using therapy dogs in the school setting. She received $2,356.
- Suzy Rost, a Bowie PE teacher, for “Drum Fit” a project utilizing large drums, rhythm and movement. She received $3,179.54.
- Karen Anderson and Kimberlea Gillem, Lamar Second Grade teachers, for “Permissionless Fieldtrip” a project using Virtual Reality goggles to visit sites all over the world. They received $2,663.28
- Misty Teer and Cheryl Blount, Early Childhood Learning Center teachers, for “Pasture to Play Space” a project turning an unused field into an interactive teaching playscape. They received $2,484.29.
- Derek Driver, SSHS Principal, for a mentoring program pairing community members with high school students. He received $1,000.
- Kelly Shutt, an SSMS math teacher, for “little Bits of Mega Bytes” a project in which students will use magnetic electronic components such as motors, switches, lights and speakers to invent solutions to real world problems involving math and science. She received $2,232.45.
- Coco Gunn, a PE teacher at Sulphur Springs Elementary School, for “outdoor education” a project that will teach children outside activities for lifetime fitness: fishing and disk golf. She received $1,500.21
Funding for the Foundation comes from the community. For more information visit their website:SSISDeductionfoundation.com.
Local author’s memoir about a life blessed despite disability
Ana L. Cueves lives in Sulphur Springs, Texas and has just self-published her first book, “In the Land I Did Not Choose”. Available on Amazon and on Kindle, the book is a memoir that describes her life’s journey as a person with the disability of blindness. Far from feeling dependent, she feels that her disability has allowed her a measure of success, enabling her to enter a life’s work and to discover a way to help others, especially women who face physical disabilities. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and a Master’s degree in Sociology from Texas A and M Commerce. It was during her final research project in school, on the subject of “Pregnancy and Disability”, that Ana discovered that most women’s self-help books address issues facing able-bodied women only. Realizing that fifteen percent of the world population has physical disabilities, she discovered a niche for her writings. She has a couple of new projects in the works. Her first book, “In the Land I Did Not Choose” is also a thank you to her parents who have devoted their lives to helping Ana and her blind younger sister to get college educations and become contributing adults. She is also appreciative that as a child she came to the United States, where her education became more than a far-off dream; it has became a reality leading to a fulfilling career.
Meth Arrest on Gilmer Street
A traffic stop by Hopkins County deputies in the 600 block of Gilmer Street Monday at 6:18 p.m. resulted in the arrest of Roy Freeman Burkham, 59, of Sulphur Springs.
Burkham was nervous and led officers to perform a pat down search. During the search Burkham gave the deputy permission to search his pockets. There they found several clear plastic baggies that contained a white crystal substance believed to be methamphetamine. As deputies searched the vehicle, they found a clear syringe that contained methamphetamine. During the Miranda warning, Burkham stated that all the contraband belonged to him.
Burkham is in Hopkins County Jail charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1, more than 1-gram and under 4-grams.
