Meet & Greet Welcomes Lezley Brown
Please help us welcome the new President/CEO of the Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce, Lezley Brown at a come & go meet & greet Thursday June 30th, from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Also make sure to attend the Chocolate Finale Ribbon Cutting June 30th at 12:00 Noon.
Contact the Chamber of Commerce at 300 W. Connally, Sulphur Springs, TX with any questions.
The Chamber board looks forward to seeing all at the Chamber of Commerce Thursday, June 30, from 10am – 2 pm, to meet Lezley Brown, and for the ribbon cutting at 12 Noon for the Chocolate Finale.
Rifle, Jewelry Recovered; Hinson Confesses; Two Additional Suspects Sought
A trip to Emory Wednesday paid dividends as Hopkins County Criminal Investigator Dennis Findley recovered a Browning high powered rifle and scope, located additional rings, necklaces, charm pendants and heard the confession Kenneth Hinson to burglarizing a residence. He also garnered the names of two additional suspects in the case.
Items already recovered from the burglary in the Arbala area prior to yesterday included three items, a wedding ring, a tennis bracelet, and a Nikon camera, according to Investigator Dennis Findley. Now Findley will travel to Mineola Thursday, June 23rd to Ponderosa Pawn to recover the items located yesterday following Hinson’s confession. Findley said these items are not all that was stolen but are the more expensive items taken. Additional weapons were stolen along with knives and other jewelry.
Hinson, a female companion, Sara Nicole Barker, and two others had kept the residence under surveillance for a few days according to Hinson’s confession to Findley. Findley said the four had timed the trips of the family moving into the new house and observed items being moved. They chose a time to burglarize the residence when the residents were away for additional items to be moved.
Findley warns that in this day and time homeowners need to be aware of their surroundings. He said that if an auto is parked nearby and a person or persons are in the vehicle one should get a tag number and description of the vehicle, call the Sheriff’s office and report it. Deputies will check out the call. He said there may be a legitimate reason for the auto and people there but it may not be legitimate. 
Spice of Life
Variety is the Spice of Life
If the old saying “Variety is the Spice of Life” is true, then I’ve had lots of spice in my life lately! So many great activities have taken place recently, and are still taking place. My middle child married his college sweetheart in a beautiful wedding ceremony and as I write this column, they are honeymooning in the Bahamas! It was wonderful to see out-of-state relatives from Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Ohio, as well as numerous friends and relatives from out of town. Even my 85-year-old uncle made the trek from Ohio to join in the wedding festivities!
When I returned to work, things were full steam ahead as a team of volunteers and committee members assisted me in implementing the 6thAnnual “Kids’ Camp: Fun, Food, Fitness.” Activities included outdoor games, yoga, lesson on poison control, visits from two special cats, and hands-on food preparation using recipes from the fruit group and grains group. The Master Gardeners rounded out the week, along with Extension Specialist, Karen Sanders, as they discussed low-water plants, soil, mulch, and landscaping.
Each camper received a backpack, lunch kit, MyPlate plate, and lots of activity sheets, as well as handouts for their parents. The camp will continue through June, as well as a couple of weeks in July, with lots more hands-on fun, nutrition topics, special guests, games, giveaways and prizes in store.
When July arrives, more spice will be added as we implement the 2nd annual “Skills Camp.” Topics will include STEM (drones and aerial photography), woodworking, outdoor cooking, welding, and leather work. This camp is targeted toward Sulphur Springs students who have just finished 5th and 6th grades. Registration is filled, and I can guarantee that the campers will learn a lot and take home skills that they can use throughout life.
Not to be left out is the Multi-county 4-H Camp, July 11-13, at Lone Star, Texas. Hopkins County consistently has the largest delegation in attendance, and this year is no exception. Twenty-four youth and adults from Hopkins County will participate in the fun-filled camp, featuring robotics, food challenge, archery, Junior Master Gardeners, Healthy Lifestyles, and ropes course. There will be plenty of free time, good food, and making new friends.
“Kids’ Camp: Fun, Food, Fitness” will continue, ending on Friday, July 22, with a big celebration! Each camper will receive a booklet of all the recipes, notes, and tips from each session, along with a t-shirt designed by the winner of the t-shirt contest. Refreshments, water slides, and bounce houses will bring a grand finale to the 2016 camp.
On July 25, I’ll be traveling to Lubbock for my Texas Extension Association of Family & Consumer Sciences conference. While there, I will receive three awards, so that will make the trip extra special for me!
August brings many 4-H events, including enrollment for the 2016-17 4-H year, County 4-H Council meeting, 4-H Project Tour Day, and 4-H Achievement Banquet. Also watch for information on the new “Cooking Well with Diabetes” series!
So, my life is filled with variety, great colleagues, wonderful volunteers, and fabulous people! For that, I am truly grateful.
Master Wellness Volunteer Conference
If you would like to learn more about Extension’s Master Wellness Volunteer program, I invite you to attend a Regional Master Wellness Volunteer conference, on Thursday, July 21, at my district headquarters in Dallas. Speakers will include Andy Crocker – Extension Gerontology and Health Specialist (“Celebrating 10 Years & Where We’re Going”), Angela McCorkle – Extension Family & Community Health Specialist (“Smart Choice Health Insurance and Volunteer Opportunity”), Mike Merchant – Extension urban Entomologist (“Taking a Mosquito Safari: What You Need to Know About the Deadliest Animal in the World”)Susan Ballabina – Extension Executive Associate Director (and my former college student!), Ron Gill – Extension Livestock Specialist (“Get the Facts on Hormones and Antibiotics in Livestock”), Neva Cochran – Nutrition Communications Consultant (“Eating Beyond the Headlines: Sorting Evidence from Emotion”), and Julie Gardner – Extension Health Specialist (“Cooking Up Health with Dinner Tonight”).
This will be a fantastic opportunity! The conference will be from 9:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., on Thursday, July 21, at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Center, 17360 Coit Road, Dallas. I will be taking my vehicle and can hold up to six more people. Registration is accepted athttps://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/MWV The cost is only $15, which includes lunch. Contact me if you would like to ride with me or need more information – 903-885-3443.
Closing Thought
We can learn a lot from pencils: What is important is what is inside of 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
Dealing with Heat During the Summer in Your Garden
With record high temperatures, recently gardens are facing tremendous challenges. According to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, before you plant any new plants this summer, be sure that your beds are in good shape. Add several inches of organic matter, such as shredded pine bark, peat or rice hulls, to your beds to help the soil absorb and store water. Raised beds are a must for drought resistant plants since they cannot tolerate “wet feet”. Mulching also cuts down on the amount water lost to evaporation.
Several large shrubs are especially drought resistant. Crepe Myrtle is one of my favorites (yes, it is a shrub.) There are new mildew resistant varieties ranging from 20-foot tall trees to dwarf forms. The possumhaw, a deciduous holly similar to the evergreen Yaupon holly. This Texas Superstar grows well in gumbo soil and its red berries in the winter attract birds. The Fringe tree is a large deciduous shrub that also grows well in gumbo. Its lacy spring flowers attract butterflies. The Texas Mountain Laurel with its fragrant blue flowers is a large shrub that can grow up to 20 feet tall. It is not a fast grower, however. The Loropetalum or Chinese fringe reaches heights of 8 to 12 feet, but can be pruned. It should not be planted in a crowded bed or in a corner. It needs acid soil, has vibrant pink flowers, and is practically pest free.
Every garden should have perennials for a source of reliable color and texture. The Cuphea or Cigar Plant forms a 3 foot mound and sports red and yellow tubular flowers from September to first frost. Another red-blossomed plant is the Hamelia or Firebush. This root hardy plant can grow into a 5-foot mound. A lower growing plant, “New Gold” lantana is a popular heat resistant variety that flowers in the spring. Other lantanas come in a range of colors. In addition to their beauty these three perennials are hummingbird magnets. Another poll winner was the Purple Coneflower. “Bright Star” is an especially good choice with blooms in spring and fall. Because it can reach heights of 4 feet, it is a good choice for background planting. It also reseeds. Another plant that reseeds and can take the heat is Salvia. There are many varieties of this perennial, but one of the best for our area is salvia farinacea. It grows in 2 to 3 foot mounds and produces blue blooms from spring to frost. It just would not be right to leave out the tried and true Plumbago, another root hardy plant that produces cool blue flowers from May to frost. This weeping plant will grow just about anywhere.For those areas that receive very little watering, you might try these two succulents, Pavonia, or desert rose, and Bulbine. The latter is an evergreen with spiky aloe-like leaves and produces yellow or tangerine colored blooms on tall stems. Other perennials you might want to try are daylilies, Katie ruellias, Mexican heather, Moy Grande hibiscus, and Gold Star esperanza.
There are several annuals that love the heat and are real winners. Portulaca and Purslane, with their vibrant colors, thrive in the most extreme summer conditions. They do well in rock gardens or along walkways where they can spill over borders. Coreopsis requires little or no attention and produces a mass of yellow blooms. It is available in varieties that range in height from 3 feet to 18 inches. The smaller mounding type is suitable for border planting. Another favority is narrow leaf zinnia. This is one tough plant. Not only did it bloom all summer, but it was also resistant to powdery mildew and leaf spot. It self sows seeds to boot. So far the only colors available are white, yellow-gold, and orange, but the butterflies still love them. Vines can be useful in the well-planned garden. They can break up a blank wall, cascade gracefully over a rock waterfall, or shade an arbor. The trick is to find one that is not only beautiful, but also able to survive our summer scorchers. The coral vine may be just the ticket. This Mexico native is a vigorous deciduous tuber that can grow 30 to 40 feet in one year and it produces lacy pink blossoms. Another heat loving plant is the butterfly vine, an evergreen with small yellow flowers and unusual butterfly shaped seedpods. Bougainvillea is another climbing plant that is used more in containers, but can be grown in ground. Although they are drought tolerant, they are not winter hardy and need protection. And you thought cactus was your only option for a Texas summer garden!
These are only a few of the types of plants that can take what our state dishes out in the summer. I’m sure you can find a combination that will give you new look in your garden that will be less labor intensive. For more information of this or any other agricultural topics please contact the Hopkins County Extension Office at 903-885-3443 of email me at [email protected]
Mario Villarino DVM, Ph.D.
Hopkins County Extension Agent for Ag and NR
1200B Houston Street
Sulphur Springs, Texas 75482
903-885-3443
County Law Enforcement Seeks Ross for Sexual Assault of a Child Under 14
Hopkins County law enforcement officers continue their search for Michael Scott Ross, 55, of Dike. Ross is wanted on charges of continuous sexual assault of a child less than 14 years of age. Ross is a white male, 6 ft. 1 in., 190lbs. with brown hair and brown eyes. He wears glasses and has tattoos on his arms, legs, back and abdomen. Ross was indicted by a Hopkins County Grand Jury in January of this year.
The sexual abuse began in June of 2014 and continued into February, 2015. The child made an outcry to her grandmother and a Child Advocate Certified Interviewer.
Ross has ties to Hopkins, Hunt, and Bowie Counties. Anyone with information should contact Lake Country Crime Stoppers at 903-885-2020 or the Hopkins county sheriff’s Office at 903-438-4040. Persons with information that leads to an arrest could receive up to $1,000. Officers ask that you not attempt to apprehend Ross.
SSISD Summer Food Service
Veronica Arnold is the new Director of Food Service for SSISD. She succeeds Rikki Elliott who held the position for 41 years. Her first duty was the Summer Food Service, which is in full swing now.
The SSISD Summer Food Service Program is a USDA-sponsored program administered by the Texas Department of Agriculture. It is served in the cafeteria of Sulphur Springs Elementary School at 829 Bell Street. Meals are served four days each week, Monday through Thursday, from June 7 through July 28. Breakfast is served from 7:45am til 8:30am, and lunch is served from 10:45am til 12:30pm. Any child through age 18 may receive the free meals with no registration or proof of income required. Menus are provided on the school website, ssisd.net under the Cafeteria Menus heading.
Each day, the 4-person staff serves between 100-150 youngsters. Youngster who come to enjoy the meals include children who live in the community, Summer School students and YMCA Camp participants. This year, SSISD has partnered with Greenville YMCA to facilitate the summer day camp on the Bell Street campus.
“Mrs. Arnold”, as she is known by her former Math students, admits she had some big shoes to fill when taking the food service position. She is not new to it, however, because she was once “Mrs Rikki’s” assistant during the time she was completing her teaching degree. After several years teaching Math to Douglas and Middle School students, she decided to return to the food and nutrition part of education. Veronica is a native of Hunt County. She graduated from Quinlan High School and was employed in Greenville before coming to work in SSISD in 2002.
Alvarez-Flores Pleas to 3 Years in TDCJ
Wednesday afternoon in 8th Judicial District Court, Juan Antonio Alvarez-Flores plead guilty to manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance, penalty group 1 (methamphetamine) more than 1 gram, less than 4 grams in a drug free zone. He was sentenced to three (3) years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
He was arrested and charged with the Felony 2 offense in January of this year. It was his first arrest in three years. From 2008 to 2013, he had been in and out of Hopkins County Jail on traffic violations and two charges of possession of marijuana, less than 2 oz.
Robertson Sentenced to Five Years for Attempted Arson
Walter Lee Robertson, 66, was sentenced to 5 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice following a plea bargain Wednesday afternoon in 8th Judicial District Court. The agreement sends Robertson to prison for Attempted Arson.
In 2006, Robertson received a differed probation for second degree felony arson. According to Hopkins County Sheriff’s records Robertson had written his half-sister a letter telling her she had been talking about him and that she had better watch out. The half-sister lived in the rented house on CR 2321, the house that was burned. The house was owned by a local dairyman.
Robertson was arrested in March of 2005 for the third time arson offense. He was sentence in 2006 but violated his parole in 2008 for the first time.
Hopkins-Rains County Students Attend Esteemed Youth Leadership Conference
While others spent time at the beach, pool or simply hanging out with friends, Hopkins-Rains County students learned about buisness and free enterprise. Sylvia Feijen of Saltillo and Sheyenne Mitchell of North Hopkins attended this year’s Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) Annual Youth Leadership Conference (YLC) at Tarleton State University from June 13-17, to gain a leg up in the path to their dreams.
“YLC is an excellent opportunity for students to learn about the Free Enterprise Speech Contest, how our nation operates and develop valuable leaderships skills that will last a lifetime,” Don Smith, Hopkins-Rains County Farm Bureau president, said. ” We’re proud Sylvia Feijen and Sheyenne Mitchell were able to attend on behalf of Hopkins-Rains County and bring back the many lessons they’ve learned.”
The annual conference helps students network and evaluate their ideas and abilities.
“For more than 50 years, YLC has instilled patriotism, responsibility and leadership in students from across Texas,” Don Smith said. “It prepares them for the next stage of life and ensures a better Texas for both today and tomorrow.”
Students who attended YLC are eligible to enter TFB’s Free Enterprise Speech Contest in the fall. The contest allows students to earn scholarships by sharing his/her knowledge about the free enterprise system learned at YLC.
Information about both YLC and the Free Enterprises Speech Contest are available under the “youth” tab at www.TexasFarmBureau.org.
