Scrimmage Done, Regular Season Opens Next Friday
At least it didn’t count. The Wildcats’ football team lost a game-like scrimmage to highly ranked Liberty-Eylau, 44-28 at Gerald Prim Stadium Friday morning. The Leopards were playing their second scrimmage game and the Wildcats their first and only one.
The Leopards found the end zone seven times in their first eleven drives. Five of those scores were big plays. Included were touchdown passes covering 70 and 26 yards and runs of 58, 42 and 41 yards.
The Wildcats had four touchdowns of their own. Wide receiver Simeon Taylor had a big scrimmage with a juggling catch and three touchdown catches. Quarterback Ryan Humphries threw an 18-yard scoring strike to Taylor with 3:56 left in the first quarter. After Angel Tavera’s extra point kick, the Wildcats led, 7-6. In the second quarter with just 1:52 before halftime, backup quarterback D’Corian Young found Taylor in the end zone from 10 yards out for a score. The extra point was good and the Wildcats only trailed 19-14.
The Leopards were able to score another touchdown before the mid break and increased their lead to 26-14. After a Liberty-Eylau touchdown opened the third quarter scoring, the Wildcats scored a third time at the 5:24 mark. A long pass from Humphries to Taylor set it up and back Lawrence Worth scored from 5-yards out. The extra point was good and the Wildcats now trailed, 32-21. After two more third quarter Leopard TDs, the Wildcats tallied the final score of the scrimmage at the 3:40 mark of the fourth quarter.Humphries threw a four yard TD pass to Taylor. Another sucessful extra point brought the score to 44-28 and that’s the way it ended.
After the scrimmage, Wildcats Coach Greg Owens said the Wildcats never seemed to get out of practice mode during the scrimmage so their intensity level was not where it needed to be. He said the Wildcats used six or seven sophomores and he said they were wide-eyed at times. Coach Owens said some of the young players had a hard time figuring things out. He said the team had a lot of technique stiff to clean up and fix. He said the staff did have four quarters of video to evaluate, which included about 80 offensive plays to look at. Coach Owens said a real positive was that there were no major injuries. He said he was disappointed in some special teams and the kicking game, which he said had to get better. For the first time, Coach Owens said the lost week of practice and the lost second scrimmage due to having spring ball was weighing heavily on him.
Ready or not, the regular season opens next Friday at Prim with the Sherman Bearcats coming to town.
Public Fails to Respond to First City Council Tax Hearing
A special meeting of the Sulphur Springs City Council was held at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, August 19,2016. The Council met in the Council Room at 201 N Davis St. The purpose of the special meeting was to conduct a public hearing for the proposed tax increase. No one from the public was there to speak. Mayor Emily Glass explained that state regulates the appraisals, not the City of Sulphur Springs. She also added that even if home values stay the same, if new businesses are added the amount of tax revenue received increases. Though the tax rate itself was not increased it must legally be called a tax increase.
Peter Karsten added, “The state requires that we make these declarations, but the one thing they don’t do is it ends up being a political statement just like everything is… Our property tax pretty well pays for our police department and imagine a world where that’s all we are doing, if the inflation was 3% and our appraisals went up 3% and we did the effective tax rate, which is to raise the exact same tax revenue it would not factor in our buying power. Which would mean every year or two we would have to let go of a police officer. It’s a great way to look at this. This year the tax rate went up 1%, the appraised value, our inflation also went up 1%. So all it does is maintain our buying power and that’s the thing the state doesn’t put in these documents…”.
City Council will conduct a second public hearing regarding the proposed tax increase at noon Tuesday, August 23rd.
SSHS Fish Camp Set For Monday, August 22
Sulphur Springs High School Student Council and National Honor Society members spent most of Friday preparing for Fish Camp. Fish Camp is a fun spin on freshmen orientation to calm first day jitters for new ninth graders. The students will meet in the Sulphur Springs High School Cafeteria at 9 a.m. for a class meeting that highlights dress code rules, schedule pick-up, and then a mock class day.
The idea behind a “mock class day” is for students to see where their classes are located before the first day. The freshmen will be given a tour by current Sulphur Springs High School Students and spend each “period” during the mock class time learning a new aspect of high school such as grading policies, the tardy policy, groups and organizations, school spirit, etc. Students are also given a time when they can ask questions.
Free Marriage Education Workshop Saturday
Johanna Hicks
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
Family & Consumer Sciences
1200-B W. Houston
P.O.Box 518
Sulphur springs, TX 75483
903-885-3443 – phone
903-439-4909 – Fax
[email protected]
Former Cumby Teacher Sentenced To Federal Prison for Enticement of a Minor
HILL,LUCAS RAY
Former Cumby ISD Math Teacher Lucus Ray Hill, 39, was sentenced to 405 months (33 years, 9 months) in Federal Prison Friday morning, August 19, 2016. He was found guilty of enticement of a minor. He will also serve five years supervised release when he leaves prison after serving the day-for-day sentence. According to Lewis Tatum, Chief Criminal Investigator and Sheriff-elect for Hopkins County, the sentence is the maximum allowed by federal law guidelines.
Tatum stated that he hoped this sends a message to others who would steal an identity and establish a fake social media account which would be used to exploit children including the requesting of and solicitation of child pornography. Tatum reminds parents “… to be nosy when it comes to their children and social media.”
On May 30, 2015, Hill was arrested for impersonation—name and persona to create a page—and for possession of child pornography. Hill, 38, was accused of stealing an identity and establishing a fake social media account which he used to exploit children including the requesting of and soliciting of child pornography. He had maintained a large library of pages and pictures in the social media account. Corley Weatherford, Sergeant with the Hopkins County Sheriff’s office, working with the Internet Crimes Against Children and Amanda Weatherford of the Sulphur Springs Police Department, led the investigation. Accompanied by investigators from the Hopkins County Sheriff’s office and ICAC, Weatherford served warrants on Hill on the morning of May 30th following graduation exercises at Cumby High School. At that time, law enforcement seized numerous electronic devices used to obtain child pornography photos.
At the time of the arrest, Weatherford told KSST news that the investigation would be ongoing for some time due to the nature of the crime and the enormous amount of information obtained in this arrest. Weatherford and ICAC had monitored the fake social media account for some time to gather the mountain of evidence that led to the arrest. Weatherford had said that the Hopkins County Sheriff’s office and the Sulphur Springs Police Department are the only law enforcement agencies in the Northeast Texas area working with ICAC. He said that the Dallas Police Department leads the group of law enforcement agencies that form ICAC in the North Texas area.
In a press conference Tuesday morning, July 21, 2015, U.S. Attorney John M. Bales announced that Hill has been charged with child exploitation by producing child pornography, enticing and coercing a minor, and transferring obscene matter to a child younger than 16 years of age. In a hearing before U S Magistrate Judge Don D. Bush, the indictment against Hill was unsealed. According to the indictment and information presented to the court, Hill created a Facebook page using the fictitious name “Aaron Cage”.
Hill had posed as a teenage boy. From October 2013, He is alleged to have contacted a number of females including children who may have attended Cumby schools. Officials say he chatted with females and persuaded them to engage in sexually explicit conduct, including producing images and videos of themselves engaging in sexual activity.
This type of investigation will increase for the local Sheriff’s office. Corley Weatherford has recently returned from five week training in investigative techniques and forensic investigation of this type of crime.
Kari’s Law Requires Direct Access to 9-1-1
All Texas businesses with multi-line telephone systems (MLTS) allowing for outbound calls must comply by September 1st with a new state law requiring direct 9-1-1 access. The law requires that anyone making a 9-1-1 call not be required to dial “9” or another prefix to access an outside line for emergency calls.
Kari’s Law, was passes in response to an East Texas incident where a child was unable to call for help from a motel room because she did not know to dial “9” before dialing 9-1-1. On May 15, 2015, Governor Greg Abbot signed Senate Bill 788 (Kari’s Law) in response to an incident where a 9-year old with her two sisters were hiding behind a door in a Marshall, Texas motel room while their mother was being stabbed to death. The child could not call 9-1-1. She attempted the call several times while Brad Dunn repeatedly stabbed Kari Rene Hunt Dunn on December 1, 2013. Dunn is serving a 99-year sentence for the murder.
For-profit and non-profit businesses and organizations as well as government entities, agencies, and political subdivisions who use, own, or lease a MLTS must comply. A one-year waiver must be requested annually for those unable to comply with the Law. The deadline for submitting a waiver is September 1st of each year. Any business needing to implement the waiver can find the form here.
Miller Grove News 8-19-2016
As summer begins to subside and we prepare to start another school year, it is time for me to dust of the old laptop computer and start writing Miller Grove News for yet another year. It seems like just yesterday I started writing this column but looking back it has nearly been a decade ago. Things in “The Grove” have changed over time and the world has changed quite a bit too. As we look to the upcoming months we wonder how the November elections will turn out or if there will be other riots break out across our nation, or if any of our other freedoms will be stripped from America’s people. One thing I have come to realize in my short 33 years of life is that no matter the changes or what lies ahead we can rest assured that there is no place like Miller Grove and it will always be home to me.
Thankfully, we have received good, slow rains this week and temperatures have been very nice for August. I know this will help resurrect some of the gardens in the area that have been fading in the summer heat. My peas and okra are still producing though. And there are a couple of pumpkins that are beginning to turn orange beneath the long, leafy green vines of the plant.
Congratulations to Colten and Ally Baylus that recently purchased Mrs. Kim Irby’s house on FM 1567. They moved in a few weeks ago and are getting ready to welcome their son, Brysen, into the world in September. Mrs. Irby has moved to Fort Worth, near one of her brothers.
Speaking of people moving, Leon and Inge Heijligers have moved into their new house in time for Inge to start the new school year. She’s so close to the school now, living on FM 1567, she can probably walk to work in the mornings.
I have two other congratulatory wishes that are due to a newly wed couple and an engaged couple in our community. Patrick Covington and Kelsey Steele were wed at First Presbyterian Church in Sulphur Springs on July 23, at 6 pm. They were both graduates of Miller Grove ISD and I’m very proud of both of them. They have worked hard up to this point and have decided to make Miller Grove their home.
Jeremy Blackstead and Brytany Briggs have gotten engaged and will be getting married in October. Jeremy is a MG graduate and is currently employed at Hooten’s in Emory. Jeremy has always been a top-notch welder and it is no surprise that Hooten’s hired him since they have such a large business.
Last weekend my cousin, Nathan Petty, and I went to Carthage to a Clint Black concert. He was being inducted into the Texas County Music Hall of Fame. There were several entertainers there. The Master of Ceremonies was Neal McCoy. Also performing were Barbara Fairchild, Dallas Wayne, and Billy Dean. After the concert we saw Gay Seiber and Diane (Russell) Hart as we were about to leave. Well, leave it to me to see someone I know 2 hours away from home!
Thursday night’s Meet the Teacher night seemed to be a big success this year. With enrollment soaring about 300 for the upcoming school year, it is no wonder there were so many parents and students there that night. I saw several folks I knew and was also proud to meet our new 3-5 grade science teacher, Mrs. Davis, who is new to the campus this year. The PTO served BBQ sandwiches, chips, and tea throughout the night.
While I’m on the subject of PTO, let me tell you about the newest fundraiser they have planned. A lot of work and preparation has went into organizing Miller Grove’s first Glow Run/5 K Run (or Walk whichever you choose). The run will be held Saturday, Oct. 8, at 7 pm near Kid’s Kingdom in Sulphur Springs. Teams will have an entry fee of $30 with all proceeds going toward MG PTO for the benefit of the school and our students. For more information contact Stacie Wilbur or go to the Miller Grove PTO Facebook page.
This summer things began to change around the Miller Grove School campus. Back on July 21, the concrete was poured for the new elementary addition. Since then the contractors have seen that the steel frame of the building and room have been installed. At the last school board meeting (Aug. 15) the school board picked out the brick to skin the outside of the building with. Slowly, the building is coming together but I know we will all take great pride in having new and expanded facilities for our elementary students.
The concrete for the school wasn’t the only concrete poured in our community that day. Just down the road in County Line they were having a parking lot poured for the church. If you haven’t went by to check it out, please do. It is one amazing building. I know many hours of planning has went into the building and I know everyone involved is proud of the new church.
Friday, Aug. 12, Ryan Dougan and my cousin Hunter Darrow graduated from Northwest Lineman School in Denton. They are now fully fledged linemen! Congratulations to both of them!
Doug Lewis of Miller Grove Volunteer Fire Department contact me recently and said that they are still in need of a few good men and women to volunteer their services to help the department. He said they are now down to about 5 available responders – and folks, that’s not many. Anyone willing to serve is welcome to check out the facility and visit the department on meeting nights (2nd and 4thThursday of the month at 7 pm). Also feel free to contact the station if you have any inquiries about what can be done to help. The phone number is 903-382-3505.
Doug also mentioned that they are thinking about starting a Junior Fire Fighter program. The age frame would be about 16-18 years of age. This would be great for anyone who is in high school and thinking about pursuing a career as a fire fighter.
Miller Grove school will officially start up on Monday, Aug. 22 and the FFA will host it’s annual FFA Hamburger Supper on Thursday, Aug. 25. Remember to come out and help them welcome in the new year that night.
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 vs Liberty-Eylau Scrimmage Planned for 9 a.m. Friday at Prim Stadium Unless…
Wildcats Offensive Coordinator Matt Young will be watching for a couple of things especially during Friday morning’s 9 a.m. scrimmage against Liberty-Eylau. It’s planned right now for Gerald Prim Stadium unless we get a lot of bad weather according to Wildcats Head Football Greg Owens. Coach Young says he’ll be checking to see if the offensive line is physical. He says that’s been a goal since weight lifting sessions last January. That should allow the Wildcats to be able to run the football. Coach Young says he’s also interested in how his receivers catch the ball under pressure from Liberty-Eylau’s defensive backs. Coach Young says he wants to see mental errors disappear.
Wildcats Defensive Coodinator Triston Abron will be watching to see how well his defense executes the defensive scheme. He says the days of shut down defense are gone. Coach Abron says his approach is too make an offense work very hard to get their scores. He wants his defense to create havoc, limit an offense from scoring, get off the field after third down plays and collect turnovers. Coach Abron feels this year’s defense may be one of the most athletic the Wildcats have had for several seasons.
Liberty-Eylau played in the Class 4A State semifinal game last year and both coordinators agree they will provide a stern test for the Wildcats Friday. Both coordinators are also happy to be playing someone else for a change.
