Agrilife: Preparing for Fall Garden
Mario Villarino DVM, Ph.D.
Hopkins County Extension Agent for Ag and NR
1200B Houston Street
Sulphur Springs, Texas 75482
903-885-3443
Mid-July means two things: the dog days of summer and fall vegetable gardens. Everyone can relate to dog days – it’s hot and humid, good only for dogs to find a cool spot to dig a hole. But fall gardens? In July? That’s right! Mid-Summer is the time to begin preparing and planting the garden for a fall harvest.
According to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension horticulturist, the first key for a successful fall garden is to get the weeds out. And if Bermuda or bahia grass are among those weeds, you can’t just rototill everything under because once you start watering and fertilizing again, you’ll have the greenest lawn in town. Solarization is one method to reduce weeds, and other pests, by using the sun’s energy to pasteurize the upper layer of soil. However, this takes time. Prepare the soil, removing garden debris and weeds, form your beds, and then thoroughly water the soil. Cover the prepared area with clear polyethylene, sealing the edges with soil, to trap the sun’s heat. This doesn’t sterilize the soil, but reduces populations of harmful nematodes, weeds and other pests. It’s critical that his is done during July and August, the hottest time of the year. Treat for at least 6 to 8 weeks. You won’t get to plant tomatoes or peppers, but the garden site will be ready in time to plant cool-season vegetables.
Another non-chemical method of killing weeds is to smother them under 6 to 8 layers of wet newspaper, and then cover this layer with pine needles, old hay or grass clippings. Whenever weeds like Bermuda grass shows up through the edges, place another layer of paper over it. By continually denying them light, they’ll eventually weaken and die. Transplant through the papers, or just use them in the pathways. The paper will be mostly decomposed by next spring.
Hand digging is another option for real small plots, but take care not to get heat stroke; work early in the morning before it gets too hot. If the garden spot has perennial weeds, like Bermuda, you can spray the weeds in an empty garden site with a weed killer that contains glyphosate. Check the ingredients on the label for the term glyphosate” and follow label instructions for application rate. Glyphosate will not stay in the soil; it is strictly a foliar weed killer, but it kills roots and all. It takes about 2 weeks to completely kill Bermuda, maybe slightly longer if the weeds are under drought stress. It works best if weeds are healthy, actively growing and not suffering from lack of water. Remember, the garden spot must be empty to use glyphosate! Read the label completely before using. There are also organic herbicides formulated with oils and soaps that will kill many tender annual weeds, but will not eliminate Bermuda and other perennial weeds with one application.
For future weed control, once you have your garden prepared, always maintain some sort of mulch covering the surface of the soil to prevent weeds from taking over again. Every time you prepare the soil to plant a new crop, always mix in as much compost as you can get your hands on. Add well-decomposed animal manure, fertilizer and lime if soil tests indicate a low fertility or pH, and work all ingredients into the soil. Southern peas such as blackeye, purplehull, cream and crowders make a great, edible summer cover crop for building the soil and providing food. The pea vines can be mowed and rototilled under while still green for extra soil building benefits or allowed to produce peas and then tilled under. Tomatoes and peppers need to be planted soon – by the first of August – if they are going to make a good crop before first frost.
What if your garden spot is not yet ready? Buy your transplants now and grow them in a larger container to plant in the garden later. Get either 6-pack transplants or 4-inch transplants. Put them in a 1- or 3-gallon nursery container filled with potting soil. Do not use soil from your garden. Add slow release fertilizer (like Osmocote or other slow release formulation) to the soil mix. Set the pots in a sunny spot in the yard, not in the shade! Every time you water, use a water-soluble fertilizer solution instead of just plain water. Your transplants will continue to grow and be healthy, just as if you have transplanted them directly into the ground. Once your garden site is ready, you will have large, healthy tomato and pepper plants to set out. They will be easier to take care of and you will be assured of a bountiful harvest before the first freeze of winter. Grow fast maturing tomato varieties for the fall harvest. Look for varieties with less than 75 days to maturity, such as ‘Merced’, ‘Bingo’, ‘Celebrity’, ‘Whirlaway’, and ‘Carnival’. ‘Surefire’ is a smaller, processing tomato variety (with thicker skin) which sets and matures all of its tomatoes very quickly, giving you a “surefire” harvest that beats the first freeze. Most cherry tomatoes will bear within 65 days of transplanting.
Timing is very important for a successful fall garden. Heat tolerant/cold sensitive crops need to be planted in time to mature before cold weather slows and stops growth, while cool season/heat sensitive crops are planted late enough to avoid the heat, but early enough to take the first frosts of winter. For more information on this or any other agricultural topic please contact the Hopkins County Extension Office at 903-885-3443 or email me at [email protected].
Thirty-two Auto Burglaries Solved With Arrest
Thirty-two car burglaries have been solved and Sulphur Springs Police investigators are somewhat confident that an arrest made Wednesday afternoon at 4:50 p.m. may in fact solve all the late night unlocked-auto burglaries that have occurred in recent days. The method of operation by the burglar has been the same in all the burglaries that have occurred in the city. The Special Crimes Unit of the SSPD served a warrant in the 400 block of Van Sickle to make the arrest.
When the arrest was made, SCU found the suspect for whom they had a warrant hiding in a closet of the residence. With her was her boyfriend who was also wanted on a warrant for a county theft of property over $750 but less than $2500. They were in the closet hoping to avoid the police and to evade arrest. He is 20-years of age and she is 21-years of age.
Police Chief Jay Sanders told KSST News that when the suspect was identified, the auto burglaries stopped. He said this was a combined effort of SSPD criminal investigators, the patrol division, Special Crimes Unit, and the Hopkins County Sheriff’s office deputies and investigators.
The names of the two arrested were not released by police since both are charged with misdemeanors. 
Agrilife: Dangers of Leaving Children Alone In or Around Cars
The Dangers of Leaving Children Alone In or Around Cars
As we get further into summer in Texas, children will be spending more time outdoors and the danger of children being left alone in and around cars increases. When we think of children left alone in cars, our first thought is the danger of children dying in hot cars due to heatstroke. Tragic stories about deaths of children left in unattended cars have been in the news lately.
In addition to heat risks, there are other safety concerns with unsupervised children around cars, including back-overs, the risk of children releasing the gear shift or engaging electric windows, and even becoming trapped inside vehicles or trunks. According to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, approximately 39 percent of back-over deaths occurred at home in the driveway, an apartment parking lot, or in a townhome complex. Drivers in back-over and front-over deaths are often family members or family friends of the child.
Children are more at risk for heatstroke because a child’s body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult’s. Heatstroke can occur at body temperatures above 104 degrees. Even mild outside temperatures can pose a threat, but with Texas temperatures climbing into the upper 90s each day, the danger becomes even greater. The problem is that temperatures in parked vehicles rise very quickly – as much as 20 degrees in just 10 minutes, according to San Francisco State University’s Department of Geosciences.
It is important that parents and caregivers are on alert to avoid a heatstroke death. Any change in schedule for drop-off or pickup of a child can lead to a deadly mistake. In more than half of the cases of heatstroke, the death was due to the child being “forgotten” by the caregiver. Such deaths are preventable when parents take precautions to make sure that children are not left alone in vehicles and cannot gain access to unlocked vehicles. Although many parents may think that this will never happen to them, it is a tragedy that can and has happened to many families.
Follow these safety tips to be sure that children cannot be harmed in a vehicle:
- Never leave infants or children in a parked vehicle, even if the windows are partially open.
- Make a habit of looking in the vehicle — front and back — before locking the door and walking away.
- Carefully check all seats in the van or bus to make sure there are no children sleeping on the seats or hiding under seats.
- Do not let children play in an unattended vehicle. Teach them that a vehicle is not a play area.
- Check with the family when a child does not show up for day care to be sure a parent has not forgotten a child in their vehicle.
- Always lock vehicle doors and trunks, and keep keys out of children’s reach.
- If a child is missing, check the vehicle first, including the trunk or storage area.
- If a child is in distress due to heat, get them out as quickly as possible. Cool the child rapidly.
- Call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.
Children around Parked Vehicles:
- Walk all the way around your parked vehicle to check for children, pets, or toys before getting in the car and starting the engine.
- Make sure young children are always accompanied by an adult when getting in and out of a car.
- Identify and use safe play areas for children away from parked or moving vehicles.
- Designate a safe spot for children to go when nearby vehicles are about to move.
- Firmly hold the hand of each child when walking near moving vehicles and when in driveways, parking lots or sidewalks.
- Teach children not to play in and around vehicles.
Other tips:
- Never leave keys in the car.
- Store keys out of children’s reach.
- Lock the power windows so that children cannot play with and cannot get caught in them. Power windows can strangle a child or cut off a finger.
Following these safety tips can make all the difference in avoiding needless tragedy.
Master Wellness Volunteer Conference
2017 is the year for the next Master Wellness Volunteer training. Currently, Hopkins County has 10 trained volunteers, and they are doing a fantastic job! If you have an interest in participating in the next training, I want to talk to you! You don’t have to have a wellness background, but you do need to have a desire to learn and help others!
I will be taking my car to a regional Master Wellness Volunteer Conference in Dallas on July 21, and anyone interested in learning more about the program is invited to attend! The fee for the conference is only $15, which covers lunch and some fantastic speakers. Some of the current volunteers will be riding with me, and more are welcome to attend! The link to register for the conference is https://agriliferegister.tamu./edu/MWV. If you need to register on our office computer, you are welcome to drop by during regular office hours (note: we will be closed on July 4).
Closing thought
We can learn a lot from pencils: to be the best, you must allow yourself to be held and guided by the hand that holds you.
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]
Small Business Development Center Credits PJC For Its Involvement in Five County Area
The Paris Junior College Board of Regents elected 2016-2018 officers at its meeting on Monday, June 28. Continuing their roles are Board President Curtis Fendley and Secretary Berdie Gibson. Dr. Clifton Wilkerson will now be board vice president.
Brad Gottshalk, director of the Paris Small Business Development Center, gave an overview of the last five years at SBDC. A change in regional leadership, a sharp reduction in the number of SBDC offices around the state, and a new focus from the federal government has led to an emphasis on helping existing businesses sustain and grow, rather than on new ones.
Gottshalk stressed that though this was the new direction, the SBDC in Paris continues to talk to anyone interested in starting or growing a business in PJC’s five county service area, including Lamar, Hunt, Hopkins, Delta, and Red River counties.
SBDC is funded from three sources, the federal Small Business Administration, the State of Texas, and by PJC through a $50,000 annual cash match as well as in-kind funding of the facility, utilities and operating costs.
“Without PJC’s support,” said Gottshalk, “the SBDC services wouldn’t be available to businesses in the five counties it serves. Thanks to PJC support the Paris SBDC wasn’t among the many offices closed statewide.”
In other business, the Regents:
- Received a positive financial report from PJC Controller Keitha Carlton, who reported that PJC remains in a strong cash position despite a drop in enrollment and tuition revenue, as the college has reduced expenditures.
- Learned of the dates for annexation public hearings, where PJC will present the proposed service plan and answer questions in each county. The meetings will be July 18, 19, 20, 21 and 25 in the five counties, as well as in Honey Grove and Fannindel ISDs. The meeting times and locations will be publicly advertised.
- Heard a report on fall and spring enrollment and retention by course (meaning the student did not drop from beginning to end of the semester). PJC is required by state law to receive a complete retention report annually. PJC’s retention rate has improved over last year, with a fall rate of 94.91 percent and a spring rate of 95.09 percent.
- Received a report on dual credit in area high schools, including the offering of career and technical education dual credit in Greenville, Commerce, Sulphur Springs, Paris, Caddo Mills, and Royse City.
- Accepted the employment of Men’s and Women’s Soccer coach Sylvester Jallah, effective June 20; the resignation of Adult Education and Family Literacy PD Coordinator Krista McAdamis; and the retirement of Registrar Rita Tapp, effective Dec. 31.
Chamber Connection — June 30, 2016
What a week! I wasn’t kidding when I said last week that summertime in Hopkins County is busy! There are so many wonderful things to do. I’ve met many new people this week and numerous new business owners. Simply put, our business owners are impressive. Creating and opening a business is a life changing step, and it takes a servant’s heart to make the magic happen. We spent some time at the ribbon cutting Friday night at Foster’s in Pickton. It was crazy busy and certainly hot, yet Art Foster took time to educate us and answer all of our questions as if he had all the time in the world. Then Tuesday afternoon we attended ribbon cuttings for The Potato House, Al’s Diner, and Celebration Antiques. If you missed this, you missed out. There was delicious food, cake (provided by IdziBitsi Bakery), beverages, and fantastic entertainment. It was a packed house, and everyone had a great time. My hope is that you will read this Chamber Connection and mark your calendars, too. We love promoting and supporting our local businesses!
Meet and Greet the New Chamber President Thursday, June 30th from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Thanks to everyone who came by to the Meet and Greet! I was overwhelmed by such a friendly outpouring of support, and I look forward to working with all of you.
Ribbon Cutting for The Chocolate Finale at noon on Thursday, June 30th
We welcomed The Chocolate Finale to the Chamber of Commerce at noon. They brought a chocolate fountain with 20 pounds of melted milk chocolate! It was incredible. The Chocolate Finale specializes in events such as weddings, parties, and celebrations. Please consider them for your next event!
Grand Re-Opening for Tully Nationwide Insurance from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, July 1st
Come by and support Jason Tully as he holds a Grand Re-Opening for Nationwide Insurance from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The official ribbon cutting will be held at noon. His office is located at 109 Jefferson Street, just off Celebration Plaza.
City National Bank Customer Appreciation Ice Cream Give Away Friday, July 1st from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
It’s just so hot! To help cool you off, CNB is hosting a customer appreciation event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. They are giving away ice cream for customers to enjoy. Stop by the Mockingbird or downtown location and grab you a scoop!
Alliance Bank is hosting a watermelon eating contest on Saturday, July 2nd at 6:30 p.m.
Just before the concert downtown, Alliance Bank is hosting a watermelon eating contest. They will be selecting volunteers from the audience, so join them on Celebration Plaza at 6:30 p.m. to enter. There will be three categories: Under 12, Men, and Women. Prizes will be awarded for the winners!
25th Anniversary of the Independence Day Celebration on Celebration Plaza slated for Saturday, July 2nd
Mark your calendars for a stunning and memorable night of a free concert and fireworks presented by the Sulphur Springs Symphony League. The concert begins at 8:00 p.m. with fireworks to immediately follow. It is an event that should not be missed. Bring your families, your lawn chairs, or your picnic blankets and enjoy the sights and sounds of Independence Day in Hopkins County.
Affiliated Driving School, Tuesday, July 19th at the Senior Citizen’s Center
Karon Weatherman is offering an Affiliated Driving School at the Senior Citizen’s Center on Tuesday, July 19th. The class is good for ticket dismissal and/or 10% off of your liability insurance. The discount is good for 3 years. The cost of the class is $15.00 for Insurance Discount or $25 for Ticket Dismissal. Call 903-885-1661.
Adult Leadership Class being offered for the Fall! Sign up Now!!!
Lynda Hager reported that she would be offering an Adult Leadership Class starting in August for anyone who is interested. The Adult Leadership Class is a community leadership development program sponsored by the Hopkins county Chamber of Commerce. The course was created in 1989 with the concept of offering leadership training and community involvement for emerging business and community leaders. Leadership Sulphur Springs is a nine-month session, with meetings held once a month. For more information, please call the Chamber of Commerce at 903-885-6515.
Welcome to our new Chamber members!
This week we welcomed three businesses to the Chamber. The Potato House is located at 204 Connally Street. They have just extended their business hours to include Friday nights until 7 p.m. Make sure to stop by and enjoy their food. Sherry and her crew have owned and operated The Potato House for many years now.
We also welcomed Stone Dreams to the Chamber. The owner is Ernest Whorton. Ernest stopped into the Chamber to describe his work. He can create just about anything you might need in your yard out of concrete, and make it look just like stone. He explained that the concrete is very strong, versatile, and long lasting. It is a great choice for your landscaping needs. Stone Dreams is open Monday through Sunday. Call (903)-335-3684 or visit http://dealer.stonemakers.net/stone-dreams-of-texas/ to schedule an appointment.
Welcome to Fox & Fig! Fox & Fig is located at 624 Main Street in Sulphur Springs and is owned by Laura Morris. Fox & Fig specializes in vintage and farmhouse home décor, furniture, gifts and accessories. The store will be opening July 30th. You can visit them online at www.foxandfig.com
We are excited to welcome these businesses to our Chamber and our community!
So there you go… Can’t wait to see you on Celebration Plaza Saturday for the Symphony League Concert and fireworks. Bring your family and friends! –Lezley
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
Accident on Highway 19N Limits Traffic to One Lane
An accident on State Highway 19 just north of the Sulphur Springs City Limits diverted traffic to one lane Wednesday afternoon. A truck pulling a trailer hauling a portable building struck a guard rail turning the trailer and building on its side. The overturned trailer and building protruded into the northbound lane of the highway. Texas Department of Public Safety Troopers responded as did TxDOT workers and the Hopkins County Fire and Rescue Unit. KSST thanks one of our loyal listeners and readers of ksstradio.com for submitting the photos and information.
“Updated” County Road Closure Sparks Community Conversation; Road Now Open
County Road 1170 is now open according to County Commissioner Precinct 1 Beth Wisenbaker.
County Road 1170 in Precinct 1 of Hopkins County has been closed since June 20th due to heavy storms that hit the area and eroded the soil around two tank cars that are currently being used as a culvert. County Road 1170 is a heavily trafficked road and a vital part of the road network in southern Hopkins County. For several years there have been complaints about county road maintenance in select precincts in the county.
In Texas, counties are separated into four precincts regardless of size. The precincts are governed by Commissioners who are a part of the Commissioners Court who is presided over by the County Judge. The County Commissioners original job was to maintain public roads in unincorporated areas of the county, coined county roads. Now, County Commissioners Court reviews the county tax rates and budget, approves purchases, sets salaries and benefits of the employees, fills vacancies in appointive and elected offices, authorizes contracts, and provides and maintains all county facilities and buildings. The Commissioner title has become more associated with the Court than road maintenance in the recent years.
Throughout Texas counties have realized the threat to the well being and condition of the roads that has been posed due to the additional responsibilities placed on the Court. To improve the quality and efficiency of the road work and road crews, several counties have placed a new committee over the maintenance of the county roads. Instead of splitting the allotted amount in the county budget set aside for road work evenly between the four precincts, the amount is spent in each precinct as a need arises. For example, if Hopkins County had a committee like this one in place Precinct 1 would have the resources to repair County Road 1170 by spreading the budgeted amount of money to areas that are in immediate need, with one work crew and one road work committee head.
Hageman Reserve is Closed and For Sale
The Hageman Reserve located in Northeastern Hopkins County near Sulphur Bluff is closing and will be placed on the real estate market. According to Shane Hageman, son of Steve and Sandra Hageman and member of the family business, The Reserve listing will be with Bernie Uechtritz with International Icon Properties, a firm that lists properties worldwide. Those who are paid club members of the reserve and enjoy the privileges of that membership have received a letter confirming the closure. In information presented in the notice, the Hageman family notes the desire for the family to spend more time together and the Texas property places limits on their time.
According to Hageman, all hourly workers at the Reserve were told this week that their services would be no longer required after July 1st. He stated the executive staff would remain to work through the transition to new ownership. Uechtritz, who is listing the real estate is described as a Texas cowboy with an Australian accent who was managing a PNG palm oil and coconut plantation at the age of 17. In February of this year, he sold the Waggoner Ranch, the largest single ranch in the U. S. to Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke. The price tag was $1 billion dollars.
The Hageman Family looks to family time as the reason for the sale. However, the Hopkins County Appraisal District has not been encouraging in their actions toward Steve and Sandra Hageman Texas, LLC, owners of the Reserve.
A suit in 62nd Judicial District Court seeks relief for Hageman Reserve regarding the tax appraisal that has placed the value of their property at near $39.2 million. Hageman went before the Appraisal District Tax Review Board and asked that the value be lowered to $4 million. The review board set the value amount at $15.6 million. That was okay with Hageman but not with the Appraisal District leadership. Thus, a problem has evolved.
Hageman was notified July 2, 2015 of the Appraisal District’s intent to sue but struck first with the suit on file 14 days before the Appraisal District filed their lawsuit.
Hard decision for Hageman family due to the fact that the employees are like family…
On July 27, 2015, Steve and Sandra Hageman Texas LLC filed suit against the Appraisal District stating that the property value is “substantially below the value determined by the Appraisal Review Board.” The filed papers state, “The levying of a tax on the Property based on the incorrect valuation is excessive and unequal and will cause injury to the plaintiff. At this time the Plaintiff intends to pay the full amount of the tax assessment, but is unable to make a final decision on payment of taxes due to non-receipt of tax bills. If a decision is made to pay a lesser amount of taxes than the amount billed, notice of the amount of taxes to be paid will be filed with the court.” The suit not only seeks a lowered property value, they also seek reimbursement for reasonable attorney’s fees from the Defendant pursuant to Texas Tax Code.
A problem faced by the Appraisal District is that in the 2017 proposed budget they have only $7,500 budgeted for attorney fees. According to the budget notes, the district “anticipates two areas in which the assistance of legal representation will be required. The first is consultation for the district and the board of director. The second area “is representation in possible litigation filed against the district. The Texas Legislature now mandates that the Appraisal Review Board maintain separate legal representation so a $3,000 category has been created to cover this.” They have very little money available for attorneys’ fees should they lose the suit and be liable for those fees for both entities. Should the Appraisal District lose, those entities that fund the District would be liable for the fees.
On August 12, 2015, the Appraisal District filed suit against the Hageman Texas, LLC appealing the Appraisal Review Board findings. “The suit challenges the Order by the Appraisal Review Board…” asserting the appraised value “does not follow the requirement that the Property be appraised at market value…The Property’s appraised value as determined by the Appraisal Review Board is less than the median appraised value of a reasonable number of comparable properties, appropriately adjusted” according to the filed suit.
In April of this year, KSST News reported that the Appraisal District announced that tax notices would go out and that the Sulphur Bluff ISD would see values increase 21% “due to the pipeline and the Hageman Reserve Hunting Lodge.”
The Hageman family had sought to be good citizens and neighbors in northeastern Hopkins County. KSST News reported in January of this year, “A generous donation to the Sulphur Bluff Scholarship Fund by the Hageman Reserve family was present to the Sulphur Bluff Scholarship Foundation Wednesday January 20. Sixteen years ago, Sulphur Bluff ISD had formed a scholarship fund to assist graduating seniors start in college-level studies. Over the years, an annual banquet and other fundraising efforts have helped dozens of seniors achieve a college education. The Hageman family, originally from Indiana, noted with appreciation how the school assisted their students prepare for the future and decided to help. To supplement the $15,000 raised in 2015, the Hageman family donated $40,000 so that the needed $55,000 would ready for 2016 graduates. To be considered for a scholarship, senior class and alumni students can apply to the Scholarship Board for help with tuition. Sandy Hageman said they are blessed to be a blessing through the donation. Along with donation-matches by their 100 employees, they wish to demonstrate to others how giving back can benefit an entire community such as Sulphur Bluff.
