PJC History Classes Review History of Elections
A LITTLE HISTORY With the general election at hand, it gives history teachers a perfect opportunity to review the history of voting in the United States and the importance of this freedom. Instructor David Larkin, above, talks about election procedures to his U.S. history class on the PJC-Sulphur Springs Center campus. For information about enrolling in classes at the campus, call 903-885-1232.
Acorn Crop Could Affect Deer Season
by Adam Russell, A & M Ag Education
OVERTON – A good crop of acorns and fewer mature deer could put the pressure on hunters in East Texas this deer season, said Dr. Billy Higginbotham, wildlife and fisheries specialist in Overton.
Higginbotham said hunters in the Pineywoods and Post Oak Savannah ecoregions in East Texas could face tougher hunting conditions due to a bumper acorn crop this year. Consumption of shelled corn and food plot crops decreases dramatically when acorns are available, which likely means hunters will have to adjust their strategies to harvest deer.
“Several different oak species are producing abundant crops of acorns this year, and hunters who hunt the early part of gun season over supplemental feeders or food plots could be in a very lonely spot when acorns are raining down on other parts of the property,” he said.
Higginbotham said hunters may need to hunt in or near stands of acorn-producing oaks. He recommends using portable or temporary hunting blinds for concealment in those areas.
Blinds should be set up downwind or crosswind from the feeding area, he said. Hunters should enter the area from a direction that does not result in scent drift into the feeding area.
“That may delay the opportunity to hunt those areas until the wind direction is favorable,” he said.
Compounding difficult conditions, the number of mature deer also will likely be lower this season compared to previous seasons, he said.
Higginbotham said the 2011 drought resulted in extremely low fawn crops. Deer typically enter prime antler maturity at age 5, which means hunters will likely see fewer mature bucks of that year class to harvest.
But antler restrictions in effect in East Texas counties have produced positive results for all hunters, he said.
“Fewer 1 1/2- and 2 1/2-year-old bucks are being harvested and the percentage of 3 1/2 and older bucks are showing up in deer populations,” he said. “This translates into better antler quality for our region.”
Higginbotham said East Texas hunters should expect the rut to be on schedule. Bucks typically begin rutting activity sometime during the first two weeks of November.
“Hunters who can locate does during that time period should expect bucks to follow,” he said. “In addition, once the rut kicks in hunters may encounter bucks anytime during the day as they actively seek and chase does.”
Higginbotham said hunters can aid wildlife management by collecting and sharing data regarding deer sightings and harvested deer. Hunters are encouraged to keep a tally of the number of does, bucks and fawns they see during the first two weeks of rifle season starting Nov. 5.
Hunters can also record harvest data on deer including the date, time and location, sex, antler measurements for bucks, lactation status of does and field dressed weights on all deer. Photos of all bucks harvested are also encouraged.
Harvest data can be compared to future hunting season’s data to determine if the deer population and habitat are in balance and trending toward the goals of hunters and landowners, he said.
“This is all valuable information that can be used to formulate future harvest recommendations,” Higginbotham said.
Sulphur Springs Police Are Seeking This Man For Robbery at Alliance Bank Southtown Branch
Sulphur Springs Police Department is looking for the individual who committed a robbery at a local bank Wednesday. The man is described as a white male 6 feet tall and heavy in weight. 
A robbery Wednesday at the Alliance Bank Southtown Branch on South Broadway is under investigation by Sulphur Springs Police. No one was injured in the robbery. The Southtown Branch will be closed this afternoon. All other locations will be open.
Pritchard Sentenced to Five Years Day-for-Day in TDCJ
Tuesday in Eighth Judicial District Court, Nicole Pritchard plead guilty to possession of a controlled substance greater than 4-grams and less than 200-grams in a Drug Free Zone. She was sentenced to five years day for day in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Nicole Rae Pritchard, 2016
On October 13th in Eighth Judicial District Court, Assistant District Attorney Matt Harris filed a motion on behalf of the state to hold bonds for Nicole Pritchard as insufficient for the two counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance greater than 4-grams and less than 200-grams with which she had been charged. She was accused of committing a new offense while out on bond for those two charges. In the hearing, Harris called Officer Joe Scott and Sgt. Mark Estes with the Special Crimes Unit who testified for the state regarding the new charge. Judge Eddie Northcutt found that the defendant had committed the new offense and held her bond insufficient. She was returned to Hopkins County Jail.
In the original offense, a traffic stop on East Loop 301 found a vehicle carrying three individuals that pulled up to make contact with Ellis, Jr. and Carrizales. Brandon Jon Stowater, 18, was riding in the front passenger seat. Investigators clearly noticed Stowater attempting to hide something in the area of the seat. Stowater was then taken out of the vehicle and detained for the officers’ safety. The investigator could see in plain sight a Marlboro cigarette package with the top slightly opened in the passenger door. A clear plastic Ziploc bag could be seen sticking out of the cigarette pack. The bag was retrieved by the investigator and was found to contain approximately 7.7 grams of methamphetamine and a green, leafy substance believed to be marijuana. At that time, the driver and remaining passengers were asked to exit the vehicle. Pritchard, 25, was one of the passengers for Possession of a Controlled Substance greater than 4 grams and less than 200 grams
Crosstown Trail Approved; City Manager Files Monthly Report at Tuesday Council Meeting
Attendance at the Sulphur Springs City Council Meeting Tuesday night was boosted by members of the Chamber of Commerce Adult Leadership Class. However, unlike previous years, this year’s class sat through a 12 minute lack luster meeting. Council approved with little discussion a $79,750 contract for engineering that will lead to the building of Crosstown Trail.
The trail will connect Coleman Park to Buford Park and Celebration Plaza by a walking tract that will cross Main Street and also pass the High School and Civic Center. Council expects the design to be completed in two months and work to begin in March or April of 2017 and work completed by the end of 2017. The $1.1 million project is funded by grants from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Department of Transportation. The city will contribute $200,000 to the construction.
City Manager Marc Maxwell reported to the council:
BILL BRADFORD ROAD – Concrete street and curb & gutter improvements are underway on Bill Bradford Road. 5W Contracting has poured concrete from Gilmer Street to Carter Street which is about one-third of the length of Bill Bradford Road. All utility work is complete.
DAVIS/TOMLINSON PARKING LOT – Parking spaces are constructed on two sides, Davis and Tomlinson. Work will begin on the Main Street side soon. The center area will be grass turf.
JEFFERSON STREET PARKING LOT – When the County opted into the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone they committed to building a parking lot, and the City committed to beautification of the parking lot. The county completed its part of the bargain two months ago, and now the city has completed its part. We will probably come back in the spring and add Bermuda turf and some rose bushes. The new lot has 77 spaces.
LOCUST STREET – Utility work has begun on Locust Street. The Capital Construction Division is replacing the sewer main. After that will be water improvements followed by street reconstruction.
CLAIMS – We did not have any workers’ compensation claims or liability claims in October.
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT – Total suspended solids (TSS) came in at 2.81mg/L, well within the limit of 10 mg/L.
REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES – Finance Director Peter Karstens will not present a year-to-date summary of revenues and expenditures since the year just started.
Elsewhere around the city, employees:
- Responded to 125 fire/rescue calls including 1 structure fire.
- Performed preventative maintenance on 86 fire hydrants.
- Performed 77 fire safety inspections/surveys.
- Responded to 42 accidents, recorded 71 offenses, wrote 434 tickets and made 56 arrests.
- Seized 25 pounds of marijuana.
- Made 11 felony arrests in the Special Crimes Unit.
- Hosted a showcase softball tournament (32 teams).
- Fertilized athletic fields.
- Performed acres and acres of mowing and shredding.
- Replaced all light bulbs around Coleman Park.
- Sold 2,165 gallons of AvGas and 7,669 gallons of JetA fuel.
- Conducted 35 building inspections, 23 electrical permits, 17 plumbing inspections, and issued 14 building permits.
- Responded to 193 animal control calls, and achieved a 61% adoption rate.
- Patched 41 potholes.
- Installed a new pump for the water feature on the Veterans Memorial.
- Repaired the city’s car wash.
- Performed preventative maintenance on several wastewater treatment plant items.
- Converted most of the lighting at the airport terminal to L.E.D.
- Repaired 17 water main ruptures and replaced 26 water meters.
- Unstopped 11 sewer mains.
- Repaired 3 sewer mains.
- Washed 70,000 feet of sewer mains.
- Treated 153 million gallons of water.
- Flushed 36 dead-end water mains.
- Hauled 46 loads of water plant sludge to the landfill.
Meet New Family Nurse Practitioners
Leah Irving and Jordan Potts are now working as Family Nurse Practitioners in their home town, Sulphur Springs! The women met during advanced schooling and upon graduation from UT Tyler in the summer of 2016, both were hired by Christus Mother Frances Hospital Sulphur Springs to work in established practices within Christus Trinity Clinic. Both have had nursing careers already …. Leah as a hospital nurse in Sulphur Springs since 1996, and Jordan with Mother Frances hospitals in Tyler and Winnsboro for the past seven years. Each is married and raising a family in Sulphur Springs.
Both women are eager to serve patients in new and broader ways. As Family Nurse Practitioners, they can see patients of any age with any range of illness or need. Although not doctors, FNP’s can diagnose, treat illness and prescribe medication. Leah’s supervising physician is Dr. Horne at the main local clinic of Christus Trinity Clinic, and Jordan’s supervising physician is Dr. Coker at the 111 Medical Circle clinic location. Both are accepting new patients.
Limited Ballots Help Increase Early Voting Numbers
Tuesday 711 ballots were cast in early voting in Hopkins County. According to Debbie Shirley, Hopkins County Clerk, a number of limited ballots have been cast this year. Limited ballots are cast when one Texan moves in to a different county than the one where they are registered and were not able to or failed to move their registration before the deadline. If you are registered in another county in Texas and have not canceled your registration to vote in that county, you can vote a limited ballot in the county in which you now reside. A different form is needed to tabulate the vote according to Shirley.
Early voting is open 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. On Thursday, November 2, early voting is open 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Early voting takes place at 128 Jefferson Street in Sulphur Springs. Fourteen (14) polling places will be open on the day of the General Election, Tuesday, November 8.
KSST will broadcast local results as they are available and will report Texas and national totals at :15, :30 and :45 past the hour beginning at 7:15 p.m. and ending at 10 p.m.
Tuesday Night Fire Under Investigation by County Fire Marshal
Hopkins County Fire Marshal is investigating a fire that occurred Tuesday night on a ranch near Cumby. A trailer house on the property used as a cabin for guests was totally consumed. The result of the fire was discovered shortly before 8 a.m. Wednesday morning.
The Fire Marshal arrived on the scene at 9:10 a.m. Wednesday to begin his investigation.
Lady Cats Volleyball Season Ends at Bi-District
The Lady Cats’ volleyball team surprised a powerful Forney team by winning the first set of their bi-district match before the Lady Jackrabbits rallied to win three sets in a row for a 3-1 win Tuesday night in Edgewood.
The Lady Cats came out playing some of their best volleyball of the season. After trailing most of the first set, the Lady Cats got hot down the stretch to take a 25-23 win. The Lady Cats got off to a good start in set two before Forney evened things up at 11-11. It was anyone’s set until Forney won the final two points to take a 26-24 win and even the score at 1 set apiece. The Lady Cats fell way behind in set three and trailed at one point 19-10. The Lady Cats fought back but finally fell 25-21 and Forney had a 2-1 lead in sets. The Lady Jackrabbits got off to another strong start in set 4 and wrapped up the set and match with a set 4 win, 25-17. Forney will advance to area competition.
The Lady Cats end the season with a 30-12 record. The thirty wins are the most for a season in school history breaking last year’s record of 28. The Lady Cats were 9-3 in district matches and finished second in the district standings. The bi-district game marked the final volleyball game for two Lady Cats seniors: setter Tori Moore and right side hitter Rita Hill. The Lady Cats will return 8 players off this team. Plus the Lady Cats JV and Freshmen teams were big winners this season.
Five of the varsity volleyball players are expected to play on the varsity Lady Cats’ basketball team.
