Miller Grove News
by Brandon Darrow
Now that the rain has subsided we are back to those August temperatures! The rain was great while it lasted and really perked up the grass and gardens in the area. Two weeks ago everything was starting to turn brown and burn up, but now the grass is as bright and green as if it were Spring.
Construction is still on-going at the new elementary school addition. I stopped by the other day and took a look at the progress. Exterior walls are starting to go up, the roof is on, and you can begin to see where classrooms will be situated.
Thursday night was the annual FFA Hamburger Supper at 7 pm. Food was served under the oak trees, just north of the high school. I was surprised to see so many people there. There was a good showing of parents, students, and faculty members this year. The majority of the school board members were present and I was able to meet our new maintenance man, Robert Smith, and his family. I saw several folks I knew but there were quite a few new faces there that night. I guess that’s how it is when enrollment increases. As of the end of the first day our total enrollment (PK-12) was 313 – the highest it has ever been.
I was glad to meet Mr. Smith at the hamburger supper and Leah Davis at Meet the Teacher night last week. I still need to meet Samantha Watson, math teacher. Another teacher that is new to the district is Rolanda (Flecker) Hasten. She comes back to her old home school from teaching several years at Caddo Mills. Rolanda was a MG graduate and past school board trustee.
It seems like there are quite a few couples with MG connections that are expecting babies or have just had a new child. Sue Ann (Sparks) McDonald and husband, Joe, are expecting a baby boy. Brandie (McLane) English and husband, Colten, have a new son – River. He was born July 15 weighing in at 6.6 lbs and was 19 inches long.
Notice as you pass thru Miller Grove there are now signs up pointing out our three historical markers. The Texas Department of Transportation put those up last week at my request. Now, we just need to get the one at County Line marked by the Rains County TxDOT.
As you travel the highways and byways don’t forget that all roads lead back home and back to Miller Grove. Please send me any newsworthy information. My email address is [email protected].
Wildcats Open With Thrilling 43-42 Win
The Wildcats’ football team won a thrilling season opener over Sherman, 43-42 at Gerald Prim Stadium Friday night. The game was in doubt until Wildcats safety D.J. Abron intercepted a Bearcat pass with just 1:22 left. The Wildcats were able to run out the clock. Both teams scored six touchdowns and each had one two-point conversion. The difference in the game was a missed Sherman extra point kick after their very first touchdown.
The Wildcats got four rushng touchdowns from four different running backs: Lawrence Worth, Jaylon Hawkins, Searn Rodgers and Cason Goodson. Quarterback Ryan Humphries threw two touchdown passes: one to receiver Landry Tyson and the decisive score to receiver Simeon Taylor.
Sherman also rushed for four touchdowns: one by back Brent Wilson and three long runs from big back Nathaniel Omayebu III. Bearcats quarterback David Bedgood also threw two touchdown passes. The Wildcats defense made several other key stops of Sherman in the final quarter.
The Wildcats, now 1-0 for the season, will play Seminole Ridge, Florida next Friday at 8 p.m. At ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Stadium located at Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
Lady Cats’ Volleyball Defeated Mineola 3-0 Friday Night; Return to Tyler Tourney Saturday
With a break Friday in a Tyler tournament, the Lady Cats’ volleyball team defeated Mineola, 3-0 in Mineola Friday night. The score was 25-15, 25-18 and 25-15. Lady Cats Coach Justin Maness said his team served well and was aggressive at the net with their blocking. He added he was pleased with his team’s effort during the match.
In kills, Kaylee Jefferson led the team with 11. Also Mieke VanBenthem had five and Autumn Tanton and Sherettta Hill had four each.
In assists Tori Moore had 28 and Tanton 2. In digs, Jefferson had 9, Abbi Baier and Moore had 6 and Tanton and Anden Hammack had 5.
In block assists, VanBenthem and Madi Vickery had 3 and Tanton, Moore and Jefferson had 1. In service aces, Baier had 4, Jefferson, 3, Maggie McGlammery 2 and Tanton and Moore 1 apiece.
The Lady Cats are now 15-7. The Lady Cats will resume play in a Tyler tournament on Saturday.
SSISD Board Approves Budget Amendments and Personnel Changes in Special Session Friday
Friday at noon in special session the Sulphur Springs School Board approved budget amendments for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2016. They also approved application to Texas Education Agency for Timeline for Accelerated Instruction waiver.
Personnel changes were also approved:
Resignations
MaKayla Bookman Title I Aide Lamar Primary
Stephanie Bronson Special Ed Teacher High School
New Personnel
Justin Wilkerson PE Teacher Lamar Primary
Stefanie Cowden Special Ed Aide SS Elementary
Personnel Change New Postion/Campus Former Position/Campus
Holly Thompson SpEd Resource/Bowie & Lamar Grade 2/Travis Primary
Denise Bybee Grade 2/Travis Primary PE/Lamar Primary
Wildcats Open Pre-District Season at Prim Tonight; KSST Pregame Broadcast Begins at 6:30 p.m.
The Wildcats’ football team opens the regular season Friday night at Gerald Prim Stadium as the Sherman Bearcats will be in town. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. Both teams are hoping to bounce back after abysmal 2015 seasons. Sherman’s only win last year came after the Wildcats defeated the Bearcats on the field, 20-17, but then forfeited the win due to a player eligibility issue. With that the Wildcats went 0-10. Wildcats Coach Greg Owens, in his eleventh year as Wildcats Coach, is 4-4 against Sherman, including that win that turned into a forfeit.
Since 1996, Sherman leads the series 9-6. Sherman changed football coaches since last year. Bill Patterson left and he was replaced by J.D. Martinez, a 24 year veteran of the coaching ranks. He came to Sherman from Flower Mound Marcus where he was the offensive coordinator. Coach Martinez brought in almost an entirely new staff so the Wildcats don’t know much about the tendencies of this new Sherman.
The Wildcats have been working hard to turn things around since the end of last season. For the first time under Coach Owens, the Wildcats had spring practice in May.
We’ll have all the action of Wildcats football right here on KSST radio. We will also videotape the game for replay on Channel 18 on Suddenlink Cable on Sunday night at 8 and Tuesday evening at 7.
Lady Cats Face Tough Competition in Tyler Tourney
The Lady Cats’ volleyball team won a match but lost two on the first day of a Tyler tournament Thursday. Lady Cats Volleyball Coach Justin Maness said the Lady Cats came out slow in their first tournament match against former district foe Longview.
The Lady Lobos won, 25-23 and 25-14. Coach Maness thought since the Lady Cats had played Longview in the past, they let the Lady Lobos get in their heads a little bit. He said the Lady Cats hit the ball really well but he added the Lady Lobos came out with a lot of aggression that the Lady Cats had not seen from a lot of teams so far this season. Still Coach Maness said he thought the Lady Cats were the better team.
In a second Thursday match, the Lady Cats topped Elkhart, 25-15 and 25-15. Coach Maness said his team looked real smooth in that one. He said the Lady Cats were really aggressive at the net. Coach Maness said Sheretta Hill had a couple of good hits.
The Lady Cats wrapped up pool play with a 2-0 loss to Alba-Golden. In the first set, the Lady Cats fell behind 19-6 before rallying. It wasn’t enough as Alba-Golden won set one, 25-22 and took the match with a 25-18 second set win. Coach Maness was impressed with the Lady Panthers who he said just wouldn’t allow the ball to hit the floor.
The Lady Cats are now 14-7 for the season. They will play at Mineola Friday night at 6 p.m. Then the Lady Cats will return to Tyler Saturday and will play more matches in a Silver Bracket as the third place finisher in their pool.
Historical and Genealogical Societies meet at Heritage Park
ISABELLE HOPKINS AS PORTRAYED BY PAULA ALTENBAUMER
The Hopkins County Historical Society hosted the annual joint meeting with the Genealogical Society on Thursday August 25 in the Chapel at Heritage Park. Approximately 50 persons attended.
First, introductions of Historical president Bill Glover and Genealogical president John Sellers were made followed by announcements of upcoming events in the Park including the Yard Sale with Friends in the Park on September 10, the Picnic for Members and Friends on September 22 and the 12th annual Indian Summer Day and Dutch Oven Cook-0ff set for October 1.
After that, historical character Isabelle Hopkins Hanks Clark Gordon (presented by Paula Altenbaumer) addressed the assembled group. Born in Kentucky in 1805, Isabelle would later end up living in the area that would become Hopkins County, Texas. Her life spanned almost 90 years, 3 husbands, 11 children and numerous moves as the territory became settled. Her husbands and sons fought in Indian wars, the Civil War and in Texas’ war for independence. She saw entire tribes of Indians re-located to lands near her. She saw modes of travel change from wagon roads to river travel on keel boats to steel rails as the railroads were built from East to West. Her first husband John Hanks and she traveled by wagon to the large Arkansas territory in 1824. The couple wanted to join one of Moses Austin’s colonies but their travel was hindered by few roads and almost no bridges. While living at the Jonesborough settlement on the south side of the Red River,”the gateway to Texas”, she met others who came to the outpost to cross into the territory that would become Texas…she met Sam Houston, Davy Crockett, Steven F. Austin, Ben Milam, Deaf Smith and others who would become builders of our state. Her next husband, James Clark, finally received his “league and a labor” of land from the new Texas government. His dream had been to build a town and name it Clarksville, and he had been mapping out the site when he died of an illness in 1838. A widow again, Isabelle then married Dr. George Gordon and carried on the plans by having the first wooden courthouse built and donating land for a church and a jail in Clarksville. A member of her family George Harrison Hopkins brought four sons to Texas, including David who is credited with the naming if Hopkins County. In 1846, Hopkins family land at Old Tarrant was donated for a county seat. Isabelle passed away in 1895 at the age of 89. She, husbands and sons are buried in the Catholic cemetery at Clarksville. One of her sons Pat Clark wrote a book of her life and his family’s experiences.
PJC-Sulphur Springs Attractive to Local Students at Registration
GETTING STARTED Trey Lester, a recent graduate of Miller Grove High School, discusses registration for fall classes at the PJC-Sulphur Springs Center with secretary Iris Gutierrez. The first day of fall classes is Monday, Aug. 29. Students can register through Tuesday, Aug. 30.
Bakers Back the Blue Silent Auction Raises Funds for Adopt A Cop
Bakers Back the Blue is conducted a silent auction Friday at Sulphur Springs City Hall. The event from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. is a fund raiser for the Adopt A Cop program. All proceeds from the day’s activities will be given to Adopt A Cop.
Michelle Idzy, local baker, stated that is a way for bakers to use their God given talents to help the community. She began speaking with other bakers and the idea was born. The cakes, cookies, and pies that are being auctioned are the creative works of each baker.
At 5 p.m. the bidding will conclude and people will be contacted before 6 p.m. to pick up their cake. Again, all the funds will go to Adopt A Cop to purchase additional tactical equipment for the officers. All law enforcement officers in Hopkins County have been adopted according to Idzy.
