PJC Inducts Over 100 into College Honor Society
Nearly two dozen students from the PJC-Sulphur Springs Center campus were recently inducted into Phi Theta Kappa, an honor society for two-year colleges.
Over 100 new members of the Beta Zeta Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the two-year college honor society, were recently inducted at Paris Junior College for the fall semester.
“We were delighted to have such a good turnout and warm reception at all three induction ceremonies,” said PTK advisor and English instructor Diann Mason.
PTK offers students opportunities to develop qualities of scholarship, leadership, fellowship, and service. To be eligible, students must have a grade point average of 3.5. They also may become eligible for transfer scholarships.
Inductees light a candle of light and learning and sign the official membership book as part of the ceremony. Following the induction, students, family and friends enjoyed refreshments.
PTK inductees from Sulphur Springs and area include:
Como: Valeria Deleon
Mount Pleasant: Raymond Price and San Juanita Ugalde
Sulphur Springs: Elizabeth Arms, Sarah Berning, Allison Bledsoe, Emma Boyett, Katrina Cheshier, Joshua Foster, Alexis Hart, Emily Johnson, Christian Plumlee, Ragan Sachs, Maria Sanchez, Aaron Stanley, Rachel Stanley, and Samuel Stanley
Winnsboro: Dario Ledesma
Yantis: Stephanie Teer and Laura Willits
Parole Revoked for Tilson
Tuesday in Eighth Judicial District Court, Christopher Tilson, 27, had his probation revoked on three cases and was sentenced to four years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. He will serve up to one half of the time before parole due to aggravated parole rules, according to Assistant District Attorney Clay Harrison.
Tilson violated his parole for one count of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, one count of Aggravated Assault Date/Family/House, and one count of Assault Public Servant. Two charges date back to 2012. The assault of a public servant dates back to February 2015. He is in Hopkins County Jail awaiting transfer to the TDCJ.
Man and Wife Arrested for Possession in Drug Free Zone; Nine Children Living in Residence
Glenn Anthony Epps, 37, of Sulphur Springs was arrested in the 500 block of Locust Street for two felony warrants by the Special Crimes Unit Tuesday. During the arrest the SCU investigators observed marijuana in plain view in the back bedroom. They sought permission to search the residence and were granted permission by Epps’ wife, Tiffany Epps, 29.
During the search, a rectangular mirror containing a quantity of suspected crack cocaine weighing over 1-gram was in plain sight on top of the inside AC unit. Another clear bag containing over 1-gram of suspected crack cocaine was observed on the end table next to the bed. The Epps’ residence was within 1000 feet of a daycare center, a drug free zone, enhancing the charges.
Child Protective Services was also involved in the arrest. There were nine (9) children living in the residence and present during the possession and delivery of the controlled substance.
He is in Hopkins County Jail charged with two felony warrants for manufacture and delivery of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 and Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1, over 1-gram but less than 4-grams in a Drug Free Zone being held on a total of 120,000 bond–$40,000 for each of the three charges. She is being held on a $75,000 bond for Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1, over 1-gram but less than 4-grams in a Drug Free Zone.
Agrilife Year in Review: 2016 Hopkins County Youth Science of Agriculture
by Mario Villarino
I could not start this week commentaries without expressing my sincere recognition to all those volunteers and members of our community that contributed to the success of our extension program in Hopkins County. If you were part or participated somehow on the many different activities related to the Extension Office I wanted to remind you that this programs was created for you by member like you. I also want to invite you to be part of our activities by joining us. The extension office and our agricultural programs are a great way to give back to our community and our future. I also want to recognize the support of a volunteer that is no longer with us and how much he will be missed: Bobby McDonald was not only a Hopkins County 4-H member during his youth, he was also a friend of our community and a personal friend of mine. During the many programs and events that he covered either taking photographs or reporting on his internet sites, Bobby was a familiar face that I relied on. It was not unusual having Bobby coming to the extension office after a busy weekend to share with us the happenings of our community or the felling of those who mattered the most. Bobby was very easy to get along. He related his personal and familiar experiences often and was a good person to ask for advice. We spend many hours planning programs and activities related to our Ag Program. Bobby will be missed. Part of our extension mission is to share with the community the programmatic efforts related to our teaching activities and how those impact our community. The first part of this series in the 2016 Youth Science of Agriculture: Relevance: As today’s youth are further removed from farming, their understanding of the importance of agriculture and how it impacts their daily lives diminishes. This Science of Agriculture (Ag Literacy/Awareness) program targets 4th grade students and teachers in Rains, Hopkins, Delta, Wood and Franklin Counties. The plan provided the following educational components: Educational support materials on Science of Agriculture, field trip to the Hopkins County Regional Civic Center, pre- and post-evaluation and information about 4-H opportunities for the participants and parents. During 2016 the plan included educational presentations in cattle milking, products and byproducts of the beef industry, dairy foods, 4-H, horse care, wildlife, small grains and cotton, poultry production, bee keeping and water conservation. This program targeted 857- 4th grade students in Rains, Wood, Delta, Franklin, and Hopkins Counties.
Response:
To address the needs of agricultural education to school grade youth, this plan conducted the following activities:
- Ag in The Classroom Volunteer Meeting (October 2015): A working meeting after the 2015 educational event was held with presenters. Recognition for their support was expressed and comments/suggestions were taken. A definitive date was scheduled for 2016.
- Organizational Meeting for 2016 Ag in the Classroom (February, 2016). County extension agents from Hopkins, Delta, Franklin and Rains Counties and representatives of Rain-Hopkins Farm Bureau met to provide leadership for topic selection, volunteers and programmatic needs for the 2016 event.
- Ag-in-the-classroom program planning with Ag in the classroom committee (May 2016). A meeting with participant volunteers and presenters was conducted to describe the differences and adjustments to the 2015 program.
- Marketing/Promotion to Schools. An invitational letter to all elementary schools in the region was drafted and mailed to school superintendents and principals. A description of the program including the benefits for the children on their participation was included.
- A pre-event evaluation consisting of 18 questions was given to 34 participants attending the Sulphur Springs Elementary School during September 2016.
- Ag in the Classroom Event Implementation (949 attendees) (857 youth). The program consisted of a field trip to the Hopkins County Regional Civic Center Arena. The arena was set up in 11 stations with different agricultural topics on each one. The students were welcome at the same time and The Mobile Dairy Classroom session was delivered to the group. After the first session, smaller groups were divided into each station and 8 minute programs were delivered to the groups.
- Science of Agriculture Teacher/Student Packets. A package of information was prepared and delivered to the teachers to use as reference material for their classroom.
- A post-event evaluation consisting of 18 questions was given to 34 participants attending the Sulphur Springs Elementary School during late October 2016.
- Plan Summary. Activities accomplished during the plan were summarized in a two page document.
- Science of Agriculture Interpretation. Interpretation of the plan was compiled and distributed to key leaders of the community, media and the community in general.
Honey Bee Keeping Station: One of eleven educational topics in Ag in the Classroom
During the delivery of the program, several volunteer groups provided student instructions, moving teaching display and caring for live animal part of the exhibits and teaching sessions.
Evaluation Strategy: An evaluation instrument (pre and post approach) was utilized to measure knowledge gained after the students participated in the program. A sample (50 students) was selected from the Sulphur Springs Elementary School to fill out the surveys before and after the educational event. Student survey result comparisons were conducted using a paired t-test.
Results: Survey results indicated that the knowledge gained by the Science of Agriculture plan was significant (P> 0.0001) (paired t- test t=17.90 df= 33). Student evaluations showed a significant knowledge gain after they experience the field event (Mean 51.16 % before the event vs 63.4 % after the event).
Acknowledgements: The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Office in Hopkins County would like to appreciate the support of Hopkins-Rains Farm Bureau, Hopkins County Master Gardeners, Southwest Dairy Farmers, North East Texas Beef Improvement Organization, Hopkins County Master Gardeners, Shannon Pickering and the Hopkins County Regional Civic Center for their support during the implementation of this plan.
Future Implications: The Ag in the Classroom committee has suggested continuing Ag in the Classroom for 2017.
Mario Villarino DVM, Ph.D.
Hopkins County Extension Agent for Ag and NR
1200B Houston Street
Sulphur Springs, Texas 75482
903-885-3443
Chamber Connection November 23rd: Shop Local Saturday
It’s Thanksgiving week!!! There is always something to be thankful for, and it feels good to live with a thankful heart. I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving! Here are some things to on Thanksgiving and the week following.
SHOP LOCAL events are Saturday, November 26!
The Chamber of Commerce and Sulphur Springs are promoting a “Shop Local” Saturday for your Christmas shopping. For Hopkins County to remain the amazing place that it is, we must support our own local community so that our merchants can continue to offer all your needs. Here are some Chamber members offering discounts for Shop Local Saturday:
- Party Gear Plus is offering 25% off your purchase
- doTerra Essential Oils with Abita Beasley is offering a Free Spa Room diffuser with enrollment order of at least 100PV (903-335-5003);
- Marlene’s Sass & Class Boutique will have 25% off all boot socks, $10.00 off all jeans, and Buy one shirt and get one vest or jacket for 25% off
- Jay Hodge Chevrolet will give employees of any Chamber business $200 below GM supplier pricing and $100 below NADA retail book value on pre-owned vehicles in stock
- Fox & Fig will have giveaways all day and tote bags for the first customers
- The Bookworm Box is offering 10% off all purchases and a FREE gift with a purchase over $50
- Celebration Antiques & Sweet Shoppe is offering 25 to 50% off select items
- The Potato House is offering 10% off your meal with mention of this promotion
- P-31 Fitness with Krista Morrill is offering 20% off your December registration for new members. Email [email protected] to get your coupon code!
- Phinesse Farm Winery will have $4 Wineritas and buy two bottles of wine get the third half price
Please do your part in supporting our local businesses!
6th Annual Turkey Trot scheduled for Thanksgiving Day on Celebration Plaza
Get ready to make room for your Thanksgiving meal by participating in the 6th Annual Turkey Trot on Thursday, November 24th, on Celebration Plaza. The 5K Run/Walk will begin at 8 a.m. with a $30 entry fee. The 10K Run will also begin at 8 a.m. with a $40 entry fee. Pace for the 10K is 12 minutes per mile. There is also a Kids Fun Run at 7:30 a.m. for ages 10 and under. Entry fee for the Fun Run is $5. Register at Fieldhouse Sports by November 12th to guarantee your t-shirt. Packet pick up is scheduled for Wednesday, November 23rd, at the ROC from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Pictures with Santa on Celebration Plaza Saturday, November 26th
Bright Star Church is hosting Pictures with Santa on Celebration Plaza on Saturday, November 26th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Make plans to have pictures made this Saturday!
Boy Scouts Troop 66 is hosting Teepees on the Square Saturday, November 26th from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Boy Scouts Troop 66 is hosting Teepees on the Square on Saturday, November 26th from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. in celebration of American Heritage Month. They will have demonstrations on the square for all to see!
Heritage Park will host Christmas in the Park on Saturday, November 26th at 5:30 p.m.
Heritage Park will host their annual Christmas in the Park on Saturday, November 26th beginning at 5:30 p.m. While in the park, visitors can enjoy a spectacle of lights, strolling carolers, musicians, a live nativity scene, and Santa Claus. Free hot cocoa, coffee, punch, cookies and other goodies are served in various building on the grounds. Most of the historic buildings are open, with volunteers dressed in period costumes to help give the feeling of stepping into the past. The festival will run from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The $3 admission ticket is eligible for one of our many door prizes to be given away, compliments of local business owners.
11th Annual Blue Santa Drive at Wal-Mart on Monday – Tuesday, November 28th and 29th
The Way and Thunder Country are hosting the 11th Annual Blue Santa Drive on Monday, November 28th and Tuesday November 29th at Wal-Mart. They will be accepting toy donations from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. This is a toy drive sponsored by the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Department, Sulphur Springs Police Department, and the Sulphur Springs Fire Department. Blue Santa benefits over 1,000 local children by supporting local charities such as The Salvation Army Angel Tree, Can Help, and Empty Stocking.
Merle Norman is hosting an Open House November 29th -December 3rd
Merle Norman is hosting an Open House from November 29th to December 3rd. Tuesday the 29th through Friday the 2nd, the Open House is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Saturday, December 3rd, please pop in the Open House between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Merle Norman will give 10% off retain during the Open House hours. Be the first to shop limited-edition gift sets and experience festive makeup looks at the year’s most special beauty event for Merle Norman. Merle Norman is located at 202 Davis Street North in Sulphur Springs.
Reed’s Auto Detail will host a Ribbon Cutting on Thursday, December 1st to mark their new location
Reed’s Auto Detail will host a Ribbon Cutting Celebration to open their new location at 412 Main Street in Sulphur Springs. Please come by and check out the new location!
Phinesse Farms Winery will host a Ribbon Cutting Celebration on Thursday, December 1st at 5 p.m.
Phinesse Farms Winery, located at 223 Main Street in Sulphur Springs, will host their Ribbon Cutting Celebration on Thursday, December 1st at 5 p.m. They will have refreshments and samples of their Hopkins County grown wines. Please make plans to stop in, check it out, and welcome Phinesse Farms Winery!
Lights of Life Tree Lighting is scheduled for Thursday, December 1st, at 6 p.m. in the Gardens at CHRISTUS
The Lights of Life Tree Lighting Ceremony will take place on Thursday, December 1st, at 6 p.m. in the Gardens at CHRISTUS. You can make a $25 donation to be given in honor or memory of someone. This donation will be represented as a light on the Lights of Life Christmas tree, and with a luminary that will line the walkway leading to the Christmas tree. You can take the luminary home as a remembrance of your loved one. There will also be pictures with Santa, Christmas carols, cookies and hot chocolate. Please contact the Healthcare Foundation for additional information, (903) 438-4799. Please mail your donations to: 115 Airport Road, Sulphur Springs, Texas, 75482. The deadline for luminaries is November 30th.
Community Seeds will hold 7th Annual Christmas Benefit on Thursday, December 1st, 2016
Community Seeds will hold their 7th Annual Christmas Benefit including prime rib and live entertainment on Thursday, December 1st at 6:00 p.m. at the National Guard Armory in Greenville, Texas. The proceeds will benefit the poor and underserved people of Hunt, Rains, and Hopkins Counties. Individual seating is $75 per seat, table sponsorship is $2500 to seat eight, and corporate sponsorship is $2500 and seats 12. Please RSVP by phone or email by November 12th. The number to call is (903) 634-5673 and the email is [email protected].
The CASA Cookie Walk is scheduled for Friday, December 2nd from 9 a.m. to noon
CASA will host the annual Cookie Walk on Friday, December 2nd from 9 a.m. to noon at First United Methodist Church in Sulphur Springs in the Family Life Center. Cookies are $5.00 per pound. You can choose the cookies you would like to take home. Make plans to cookie shop on December 2nd!
Lion’s Club will host the 9th Annual Christmas Parade on Friday, December 2nd at 6:30 p.m.
The Lion’s Club is hosting the 9th Annual Christmas Parade presented by Carriage House Manor on Friday, December 2nd at 6:30 p.m. The parade begins at Buford Park and goes East on Connally Street to the square. It turns left onto Church Street and left on Houston Street to end in the Gerald Prim Stadium parking lot. Line-up begins at 3:00 p.m. on December 2nd. Registrations are due by noon on Tuesday, November 29th. There is no entry fee, but donations are accepted if made payable to the Sulphur Springs Lions Club. All entries must be decorated with working Christmas lights.
Sister Babyz 5th Annual “Give Back” Fashion Show is scheduled for Friday, December 2nd, at 6:30 p.m.
Sister Babyz Boutique is hosting their 5th Annual Fashion Show on Friday, December 2nd, at 6:30 p.m. at The Venue at 219 on Main Street. Sister Babyz will match all contributions of up to $3,000 to benefit the Angels from the Salvation Army in our area. There will be door prizes, gift card giveaways, live music, a photo booth, refreshments, and a hot chocolate bar (provided by Idzi Bitsy Bakery).
Hopkins County presents A Christmas Carol on December 2nd, 3rd, and 4th at the SSISD Auditorium
For the first time ever, the fine arts organizations of Hopkins County are coming together to bring Sulphur Springs a truly special event! The Main St. Theatre’s Community Players, Northeast Texas Symphony League, and the Northeast Texas Choral Society are joining forces to present “A Christmas Carol: The Musical”. The Bright Star League of Cultural Arts is also helping with coordinating this production. The performances will be Friday, December 2nd, Saturday, December 3rd, both at 7:30pm. There will be a third performance on Sunday, December 4th at 2pm. All performances will be held at the Sulphur Springs High School Auditorium at the Civic Center. Please help the local arts by getting your tickets at communitychristmascarol.com and come spend #ChristmasTogether! Tickets are $20 for General Admission and $35 for VIP.
Divorce Care held weekly at First United Methodist Church at 6:00 p.m.
Divorce Care is a weekly seminar and support group that will help you heal from the hurt of divorce or separation. It’s a warm, caring environment led by people who understand what you are going through. You will learn practical information that will help you deal with the challenges of being divorced. Best of all, you will gain hope, healing, and help for your future. Divorce Care Meets every Wednesday from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 beginning on October 5th at the First United Methodist Church in Sulphur Springs in the Open Door Sunday School Classroom. This is found in the basement of the main building. There is childcare if needed. They will meet for 14 weeks. Contact information is Tom Young at [email protected], (903) 413-1673 or Debbie Young at [email protected]; (903) 243-1235.
Before I go, let me express my deep sadness about the loss a great man, journalist, historian, and devoted friend, Bobby McDonald. He was loved by this community and he loved everyone here. We can pay our respects to Bobby on Saturday, 10:00 a.m., at the Civic Center. Bobby the community aware of everything that was happening in the county with your reports and wonderful pictures. Thank you, Bobby, and you will surely be missed by all.
I hope you all have a blessed Thanksgiving and please take a moment to be thankful for Bobby McDonald!
Lezley Brown
President/CEO
Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce
300 Connally Street
Sulphur Springs, TX 75482
903-885-6515-office
903-885-6516-fax
www.sulphursprings-tx.com
Your invitation to Christmas in Heritage Park
Bill Glover, who is a 15-year member of the Hopkins County Historical Society and descendant of a Hopkins County pioneer family, is also President of the local Society. He and fellow members are inviting you and your family to enjoy their gift, an end-of-year “give-back” event, “Christmas in the Park”. Cost is only 3$ person, with children age 7 and under admitted free. Hours are 5:30-8:30pm on two Saturdays only…November 26 and December 3, 2016. Heritage Park is at 416 Jackson Street in Sulphur Springs, Texas. If you are interested in becoming a member or a volunteer in helping preserve Hopkins County history at the park, please inquire when you visit!
HERE’S HOW HERITAGE PARK WILL BE PRESENTED FOR CHRISTMAS VISITORS!
Over 100 trees lit with tiny lights and pathways lined with luminary lanterns
Aroma of hot popcorn and freshly roasted peanuts greets you near entrance
All 14 buildings lit in vintage holiday theme
Atkins House will be reception area with cider, cocoa and cookies
The Country Store will offer unique hand-made Christmas gifts
Blacksmith will be creating iron items in blacksmith shop
Chapel will be arrayed in greenery to reflect the season
Children will find Santa in the Log House in front of the fireplace, ready to hear their Christmas wishes
Photos with Santa are welcomed.
Wildcats, Lady Cats Post Wins Tuesday
Wildcats 60, Wills Point 37
The Wildcats’ basketball team used a stingy defense and a productive offense to jump all over Wills Point from the very start and then cruised to a 60-37 win in Wildcats Gym in their home opener Tuesday night. The Wildcats shock and awe approach led to a 28-6 first quarter lead and a 40-13 score at the half. The Tigers actually outscored the Wildcats over the last two quarters but the early Wildcats’ production resulted in a solid Wildcats win. Sophomore Victor Iwuakor scored all 15 of his team leading points in the first two quarters. Ke”Ontae Dunn added 12 points and Bryson Lynn had 11. All 12 Wildcats on the roster saw action. Wills Point was playing their first game. The Wildcats are now 3-0. After a brief Thanksgiving break, the Wildcats will return to the home court to play Denison next Tuesday night. Both the Wildcats JV and Freshmen teams also won against Wills Point in lopsided fashion. The JV won 61-24 and the Freshmen took a 60-20 win.
Lady Cats 53, Paris 43
For three quarters, the Lady Cats’ basketball team had a frustrating time getting much positive going against pesky Paris in Wildcats Gym Tuesday afternoon. In the fourth quarter, Paris began to build a lead. Finally fairly late in the final quarter, the Lady Cats found their footing as they pulled away to a 53-43 win. The Lady Cats scored a total of 27 points through three quarters. They almost topped that total with 26 points in the fourth quarter alone. They outscored Paris in the fourth quarter, 26-15. Sadavia Porter and Kaylee Jefferson led the Lady Cats final quarter push and both ended up with a total of 14 points. Tori Moore hit two crucial fourth quarter three point shots and she ended up with 6 points. Destinee Weeks had a solid first two quarters and also had 6 points. Daieyshia Pruitt hit two clutch fourth quarter free throws and she also ended up with 6 points. Autumn Tanton added 5 points and Imani Taylor had 2 points. The Lady Cats have now won four straight games and their season record is 4-1. After a Thanksgiving break, the Lady Cats will play in the Winnsboro Hoop Fest on December 1-3. The Lady Cats JV and Freshmen teams also defeated Paris.
Community Calendar November 24- December 10
Light Thunderstorms, Cloud to Ground Lightening Continues Across County
Thunderstorm continue to move through Hopkins County Tuesday night (November 22) but no severe weather has occurred by 9 p.m. Cloud to ground lightening has been the only concern along with heavy rains that were intense at times through 9 p.m. Some nuisance flooding in localized areas could continue through the night. Currently no weather warnings are in effect for Hopkins and surrounding counties.
The thunderstorms are moving southwest to northeast across the county. Thunderstorm are expected to continue until midnight or later. Super cell thunderstorms are possible according to the National Weather Service.
If severe weather develops, tune to KSST 1230AM or ksstradio.com stream for up to the minute details. Severe weather is possible until 3 a.m.
