Lady Cats Count on Hitting Skills Against Waxahachie
When one hears about the Waxahachie Lady Indians that the Lady Cats’ softball team will be playing in an Area game Saturday at 6 p.m. at North Forney, they sound just like the Lady Cats. However Lady Cats Coach David Carrillo says there are some subtle differences that should gave his team an advantage.
Coach Carrillo says Waxahachie is a young teams and a good hitting team. He adds the offensive strength of the Lady Indians mainly comes from their first five hitters. The main Waxahachie pitcher is a sophomore. Coach Carrillo says the pitcher does a good job of moving the ball around. He says she doesn’t throw that hard but has good off speed stuff that she will use to try and get Lady Cats’ batters to chase after.
As for differences, Waxahachie played Whitehouse last year and the Whitehouse coach told Coach Carrillo that the Lady Indians are just about a carbon copy of the Lady Cats. However the Whitehouse coach added that the Lady Cats seem to have a little better hitting lineup. Coach Carrillo says even though the Lady Indians are a fourth playoff seed in their district, they actually tied for the third spot but were bumped to fourth when they lost a coin flip. Waxahachie finished behind two very tough teams: Mansfield Timberview and Ennis. Coach Carrillo says he likes how his Lady Cats’ team is playing right now. He says his team will be ready Saturday night.
Sports Banquet Honors SSHS Athletes Tonight
May 5, 2016) – The 2015-2016 Sulphur Springs Wildcat All-Sports Banquet takes place tonight (Thursday, May 5, 2016) beginning at 6 p.m. in the High School Cafeteria. Decorations were being put in the cafeteria this morning. Big Smith’s Barbeque will be served starting at 6 p.m. Wildcats Athletic Director Greg Owens will be giving some special awards including one for a special athlete. In all some 17 teams will be recognized in 11 different sports.
Coaches for each Wildcats and Lady Cats’ teams will introduce their squads, will mention their accomplishments and will name team MVP’s. The final awards are the James Cameron Fighting Heart Awards for Wildcats and Lady Cats and the Forrest Gregg MVP Awards for Wildcats and Lady Cats. We’ll bring you coverage of the Athletic Banquet tonight starting around 6:30 p.m. or so on KSST Radio. We will videotape the banquet for airing on Channel 18 TV on Suddenlink Cable at a later date.
“Click It or Ticket” Campaign Saving Lives
“Click It or Ticket.” It’s simple, it’s the law and it’s a reminder from the Texas Department of Transportation that seat belts save lives.
“With Memorial Day weekend and summer vacation season approaching, we’re urging people to buckle their seat belts every time they get in their vehicle,” said TxDOT Executive Director James Bass. “Every person in a vehicle, front or back seat, needs to buckle up. Not only is it the law, but seat belts save lives.”
Last year in Texas, 2,370 vehicle crashes involving unrestrained occupants resulted in 889 fatalities and 1,854 serious injuries. In TxDOT’s nine-county Paris District in Northeast Texas there were 51 motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2015, in which vehicle occupants sustained fatal or serious injuries from not wearing a seat belt. Wearing a seat belt increases the chances of survivial by 45 percent. In pickup trucks, that number jumps to 60 percent, as those vehicles are twice as likely as cars to roll over in a crash.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that since its inception, the “Click It or Ticket” campaign in Texas has resulted in 4,687 fewer traffic fatalities while preventing 79,578 serious injuries. When the “Click It or Ticket” campaign launched in 2002, only 76 percent of Texans used their seat belts. Today, 9 out of 10 Texans buckle up.
Along with TxDOT’s annual, statewide “Click It or Ticket” campaign and awareness tour, police departments across the nation will step up enforcement efforts from May 23 – June 5. In Texas, the law requires everyone in a vehicle to buckle up or face fines and court costs up to $200. Children younger than 8 years old must be in a child safety seat or booster seat unless they’re taller than 4 feet 9 inches.
Burgers and Fries makes Another Wonderful Donation
Karon Weatherman, Christina Thomas, Beth Garcia, Jackie Garcia and Irene Ramierez
Burgers and Fries made a Wonderful donation to the Meal A Day Program on Wednesday, May 4th. Their customers leave donations in the TIP jar and the employees donate all of their tips to Meal A Day.
Burgers and Fries, 208 College St, Sulphur Springs, TX 75482 Phone:(903) 885-9496
Daehn’s Essay Chosen by Nursing Leadership Group
Left to right: Dawn Sheffield, Roberta Vanderburg, Miranda Daehn, Terri Bunch, Jennifer Carter, Amber Moore, Susan McGrady, Anitha Sanderson, Shelley Williams and Jana Crews
Forty-six (46) essays with the topic “Caring is the Essence of Nursing” were submitted by high school students in the area. The essays were written as a precursor to National Nurses Week 2016. Miranda Daehn’s essay was chosen as the top essay (see below) by the Nursing Leadership group at Hopkins County Memorial Hospital.
Miranda is in the Heath Science program at Sulphur Springs High School and recently decided to enter the health care field as a nurse. Jennifer Carter, HST Instructor at SSHS, said Miranda …”is great in clinical and requests assignments such as medical floor when no one else chooses that.”
Qualifications for essays submitted to the Nursing Leadership group included originality, thoroughness, and clarity of thought.
In her essay, Miranda wrote:
“Being in the Health Science program at school, I’ve learned a few things about what it means to be a nurse. Nursing isn’t just about healing a patient physically. Nurses don’t just treat wounds, give stitches, or do everything they learned from a book. No book is capable of teaching a human being how to inform a patient’s loved one that he lost a life or is on the verge of losing a life. No book can teach you how to cry with a patient. No teacher can show you how to find dignity in giving a patient a bed bath.
“Being a nurse isn’t just about handing out pills; starting IV’s, charting, or caring for the patient’s needs. It’s being able to love a person when he’s at his weakest and most vulnerable state, and when the time comes where a nurse loses a patient, it’s about being able to freely break down, yet knowing he did everything in his power to help that person. Nursing isn’t making money; it’s making yourself a respectful, loving human being. It’s not something you just wake up and want to be one day, it’s a calling that requires tears, blood, stress, lack of sleep, and most importantly, care. One has to strive to be a nurse; has to want to be able to help everyone in every way possible even if they don’t agree with the patient’s beliefs, actions, or even the way the patient presents himself.
“If I could retain only one thing from being in the Health Science program, I want it to be that not everyone is cut out to be a nurse, and that’s okay. But to be a nurse, it takes a special type of person.”
Cooking, Marriage, 4-H Camp: Agrilife in Hopkins County
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]
“Cooking Through the Seasons”
Excitement is building for the 2016 “Cooking Through the Seasons.” There is still time to register, but the deadline is drawing to a close soon! For those reading about it for the first time, here are the details:
- What: “Cooking Through the Seasons” – a morning of cooking demonstrations, tablescape ideas, gadget demonstrations, and more. Our own local celebrity, Chef Lyndsay Caldwell, will be our featured chef, demonstrating knife skills using recipes with fresh fruits, vegetables, and protein foods. Kim Sellers, Registered Dietitian will share information about one of the main questions she receives – healthy vs. unhealthy fats. Denita Young, Rains County Extension agent, will show wonderful ways to dress up your table for every season of the year. Angie Monk, Wood County Extension Agent, will demonstrate baking for the holidays, featuring whole wheat flour recipes. I will bring out some of my favorite kitchen gadgets – some you might already be familiar with, and some that are brand new to you!
- When: Friday, May 20, 2016
- Time: registration begins at 9:00 a.m., program starts at 9:30 a.m. We will be done by 11:30 a.m. or 12:00 noon.
- Where: ROC – Recreation Outreach Center, 115 Putman Street, Sulphur Springs
- Cost: $15, due with registration form
- How to sign up: drop by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension office in Sulphur Springs, Emory, or Quitman, or go to: http://hopkins.agrilife.org and click on ‘publications’ to print off the registration form. Or you may call my office at 903-885-3443 and we’ll mail the form to you.
- What you’ll receive: in addition to watching the great demonstrations, each attendee will receive a gift bag full of great items, including full-color recipe cards for six complete menus. Each menu has a main dish, side dish, and dessert, for a total of 18 recipe cards. You can mix and match the recipes to come up with a variety of menus. We’ll also have some great door prizes and refreshments.
- Vendors: We have room for more vendors, so anyone interested in setting up should contact my office at 903-885-3443 for more information.
Give this as a gift to your mother or Grandmother for Mother’s Day! Make this a girls’ morning out and make plans to attend!
Twogether in Texas Marriage Education Workshop
Here is another opportunity from which many people could benefit! The Twogether in Texas Marriage Education workshop is open to anyone interested in attending, but engaged couples reap a double benefit because they will receive a certificate at the conclusion of the workshop to save $60 upon applying for a marriage license!
The next workshop for Twogether in Texas is scheduled for Saturday, May 21, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the Hopkins County office of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, 1200-B W. Houston, Sulphur Springs. There is no charge for the workshop, but I do need couples to call ahead of time so adequate preparations can be made for lunch, refreshments, and materials. Did I mention that lunch and refreshments will be provided?
Topics covered are: Marriage Expectations, Communication, Conflict Resolution, Money Management, and Goals & Dreams. This is a super workshop – partly video, partly group interaction, and lots of fun! Call my office at 903-885-3443 to sign up or for more information.
Multi-County 4-H Camp
“Can You Hear Me Now?” is the theme of the 2016 Multi-county 4-H Camp. Hopkins County typically has one of the largest group in attendance at this camp, held at Lakeview Baptist Conference Center in Lone Star, Texas. Dates are July 11 – 13, and registration forms are available at the Extension Office. Workshop sessions will include Robotics, Ropes Course, Cooking, Archery, Junior Master Gardeners, and Healthy Lifestyles.
The cost per camper is $115 which includes lodging, meals, t-shirt, insurance, and tons of fun! Paddle boating, canoeing, swimming, ping pong, foosball, shopping in the gift shop or snack shack, and meeting new friends are all part of the fun.
Campers are asked to leave their cell phones at home so everyone can disconnect and enjoy all the opportunities the camp has to offer. Extension agents and adult sponsors will serve as chaperones and session leaders, as well as points of contact for parents. A camp nurse will be available to dispense any medication the camper requires, and fully trained staff will see that the camp operations run smoothly. The dining hall overlooks a beautiful lake, and the food is delicious!
Deadline to register is May 27. Forms are available at the Extension Office. 4-H members may bring guests, but everyone must fill out the registration form. A letter will be sent to those who register outlining what to bring, what to leave at home, and carpooling details.
Closing Thought
Happy Mothers’ Day! “If you have a mom, there is nowhere you are likely to go where a prayer has not already been.” – Robert Brault
A 529 Plan Can Help With College Expenses
Craig S Johnson, Edward Jones Financial Advisor
We’re at the end of another school year. If you have younger kids, you might be thinking about summer camps and other activities. But in the not-too-distant future, your children will be facing a bigger transition as they head off to college. Will you be financially prepared for that day?
A college education is a good investment – college graduates earn, on average, $1 million more over their lifetimes than high school graduates, according to a study by Georgetown University – but a bachelor’s degree doesn’t come cheap. For the 2015–2016 school year, the average expense – tuition, fees, room and board – was $19,548 at a public four-year school and $43,921 at a four-year private school, according to the College Board. And by the time your children are ready for college, these costs may be considerably higher, because inflation is alive and well in the higher education arena.
Your children may be eligible for some types of financial aid and scholarships. But even so, you may want to consider some college-savings vehicles – and one of the most popular is a 529 plan.
A 529 plan offers a variety of benefits, including the following:
- High contribution limits – A 529 plan won’t limit your contributions based on your income. In all likelihood, you can contribute as much as you want to a 529 plan, as many states have contribution limits of $300,000 and up. And you can give up to $14,000 ($28,000 for a married couple filing jointly) per year, per child, without incurring any gift taxes.
- Tax advantages – Your earnings can accumulate tax free, provided they are used for qualified higher education expenses. (529 plan distributions not used for qualified expenses may be subject to federal and state income tax, and a 10% IRS penalty on the earnings.) Furthermore, your 529 plan contributions may be eligible for a state tax deduction or credit if you participate in your own state’s plan. But 529 plans vary, so check with your tax advisor regarding deductibility.
- Freedom to invest in any state’s plan. – You can invest in a 529 plan from any state – but that doesn’t mean your child has to go to school there. You could live in one state, invest in a second state’s plan, and send your student to school in a third state, if you choose.
- Money can be used for virtually any program – Upon graduating high school, not all kids are interested in, or prepared for, a traditional four-year college. But you can use your 529 plan to help pay for qualified expenses at a variety of educational institutions, including two-year community colleges and trade schools.
Of course, a 529 plan does have considerations you will need to think about before opening an account. For example, your 529 plan assets can affect your child’s needs-based financial aid, but it might not doom it. As long as the 529 assets are under your control, they typically will be assessed at a maximum rate of 5.64% in determining your family’s expected contribution under the federal financial aid formula, as opposed to the usual 20% rate for assets held in the student’s name.
In any case, though, a 529 plan is worth considering. But don’t wait too long – as you well know, your kids seem to grow up in the blink of an eye.
Animal of the Week: Libby
Libby
Libby is a two year old female Labrador with some bloodhound DNA. She is a loving and playful dog, but she does have some issues following the rules. “She likes to run, she likes to play, but she doesn’t listen,” Animal Shelter Officer Barbi Blanch said. “If she gets off the leash, she will run and good luck catching her.”
Libby had been previously adopted for several months before her former owners returned her to the Animal Shelter because they could not handle her. She has been improving, however, during her time with her current foster home. She is now housebroken and the Shelter and Foster have worked to better train her. “She’s learning, but she needs somebody that has experience in dog training,” foster owner Sharon Harris said. “She’s very strong, and she wouldn’t hurt a kid, but small kids would not be recommended. She’s needs room. She loves the country, she loves all dogs, she loves all cats, she loves all people, but she needs somebody with a little bit of training on Lab/Hound mixes.”
She is spayed and up to date on all current shots and medicines. She has been involved in every off-site adoption since September and will be involved in any upcoming off-sites until she is adopted.
FFA Project Show Auction Results
The Sulphur Springs High School Future Farmers of America held an auction on Saturday April 30 at the Arena of the Hopkins County Civic Center. Fourty-four (44) projects were sold by SSHS FFA members, and the Sulphur Springs chapter surpassed last year’s sales by an impressive amount.
Alex Robinson sponsored by J&J Meat Market sold a Drum Grill with T-Shirt and BEEF Decal to L. Looney of CNB for $40.80.
The Agricultural Mechanics Class sponsored by Sonic sold a Horshoe Cross and 10 Sonic Burgers to Abron for $60.00.
The Agricultural Mechanics Class sold a Feed Bunk to Abron for $150.00.
Kasen Price sold Saw Horses to R.A.C.E for 135.00.
John Hogan sold Standing Longhorn .22 caliber targets to M. Johnson for $50.00.
Kye Johnson sold a Hay Ring to Micheal Williams for $135.00.
Jake Couch and Kody Bowen sold a Dog House to Truman Ragan for $100.00.
Tristan McCormack and Jase Kirkpatrick sold a Deer Feeder to Rick Patrick for $250.00.
The Agricultural Mechanics Class sold a Trailer Smoker to Micheal Williams for $75.00.
Kaden Moore and Jake Masters sold a Hog Trap to B. Massey for $125.00.
Dakota Kane and Hunter Freeman sold a Bumper Dumper to J. Holland for $40.00.
Kris Nottingham and Hunter Stonaker sold a Picnic Table to CNB for $400.00.
K.J. Abron, Dustin Crabtree, and Arian Jabonetta sold a Table to Abron to $175.00.
Tyler McKinney and Kris Nottingham sold a Hay Ring to Micheal Williams for $120.00.
Morgan Mayers sold a Horseshoe Boot Rack to Abron for $30.00.
Kyle Dodd, Tyler Armstrong, Conner Nix, and Brandon Kelly sponsored by Bodacious BBQ sold a Rolling Smoker with BBQ Sauce and pickles to Micheal Williams for $300.00.
Norris English and Kyle Alexander sold a Toilet Paper Holder toB. Maddox for $5.00.
John Hogan sponsored by Price Pawn Shop sold a Pair of .22 Walking Targets and a box of .22 ammo to M. Johnson for $35.00.
Drake Smith sold a Wildlife Lamp to Big Smith’s BBQ for $10.00.
Caleb Lewis, Brody Blackmon, and Kade Brown sold a Picnic Table to Price Pawn Shop for $400.00.
Spencer Brewer sold a Hog Loading Chute to Brewer for $320.00.
Matt Thorn sold a Coffee Table to Throne for $110.00.
Cameron Davis and Ronaldo Areellano sold a Hay Silver Ring with Rood to W. Parker for $165.00.Mark Maddox sold a A&M Rocking Bench to S. Carter for $300.00.
Dusty Merrell, Marissa Greenway, and Karlee Adams sold a Plow Disc Fire Pit to K. Adams for $75.00.
Tyler Young and Brenton Burnside sold a Hay Ring to W. Parker for $110.00.
The Agricultural Mechanics Class sold a Picnic Table to Price Pawn Shop for $380.00.
Tristan Fairchild and Dalon Irby sold a Fishing Rod Holder to Price Pawn Shop for $90.00.
The Agricultural Shop sold a A/C 21Damp Crackerbox Welder to Murray for $100.00.
Jesus Abrego, Javier Gonzalez, Jairo Aranda, and Justin Bryant sold a Rectangle Grill to Bettis Enterprise for $210.00.
Dee Dugan and Jaxon Reneau sold a Horseshoe Cross Coat Hanger to Greenway for $30.00.
Josh Couch and Hanah Irby sponsored by Fix & Feed and Lowes sold a Wooden Swing Frame and Porch Swing to Abron for $175.00.
The Agricultural Mechanics Class sponsored by Chili’s sold a Redneck Golf Set aand 3 $35 coupons to Holland for $65.00.
Norris English and Kyle Alexander sold a Toilet Paper Holder to Maddox for $5.00.
Tyler McKinney and Layton Pace sold a Horseshoe Fire Pit to Pace for $85.00.
The Agricultural Mechanics Class sold a Hay Ring to Maddox for $110.00.
Jared Johns sold a Picnic Table to Farm Bear for $325.00.
Kody Bowen sold a Table to Abron for $50.00.
Drake Smith sold an Anchor Lamp to Ed Moore for $90.00.
Kyle Gammill and Logan Merrell sold a Firewood Rack to Kyle Gammill for $130.00.
Sam Gillibreath sold a Metal Swing to Nor Tex Tractor for $675.00.
Drake Smith sold a Bowhunter Clock Face to Walt Gamus $50.00.
Norris English and Kyle Alexander sold a Toilet Paper Holder to Matt Johnson $10.00.
Drake Smith sold a Fish Coathanger to W. Gamus for $55.00.
A Hog Trap was sold to W. Parker for $120.00.
